The Battle After the War
by APRIL BROWN
Summary: After an attack from the Seelies leave Clary sick and dying, Jace sets out to find the Seelie Queen, while Magnus and Alec and the rest of the gang stay behind and try to keep Clary alive, and in turn, learn a great deal about themselves and each other. *Complete Story* Rated M for Sexual content and Language. Clace/Malec
1. Chapter 1

So this was orginally just going to be a one shot about Clary comforting Jace but it morphed into something else so Im kind of just going with it. I know it is a little messy, I was honestly just having fun with it. There is lots of Clace and some Malec and its overall just turning out to be an interesting story.

I dont own the Mortal Instruments or any other characters obviously. Please R&R

* * *

Clary rolled over restlessly. Her bed that was usually warm felt lonely and cool. Her eyes flew open instinctively when she realized Jace wasn't there. Jace's room was still dark indicating that it wasn't morning yet. She was about to lean up on her elbow to try and get a better look around the room when a splash of pale light brightened the room. It took Clary's sleepy eyes a minute to adjust before she caught the sight of his silhouette in the window. His back was mostly to her, and he had pulled the curtain aside on the only window in the room. Moonlight cascaded around him making his messy hair shine white, and the pale skin on his shirt free frame glow, only emphasizing the dark runes on his skin more. Clary tried to keep her breathing even so as not to tip him off that she had woken up. He had been having bad dreams lately, Clary knew, but he wouldn't talk to her about them. Every couple of nights she would wake to find her lover gone. The first time she found him in the training room, burning off whatever emotion had brought him out of bed. When she had asked Jace the next morning about it, he had told her simply he had had a bad dream and he didn't want to talk about it. She wanted to respect him and let him handle it on his own, but when it kept happening she knew he wasn't dealing with whatever it was. Not well anyway.

Jace would never talk about it though. Every time she'd bring it up he would change the subject, or distract her somehow, not that that was hard when he walked around everyday looking like an actual angel. Clary watched her boyfriend stare out into the night, and wondered silently what was going on inside his mind. Jace's mind was always such a hard thing for Clary to understand. He had been through so much, seen so much. She had no idea how he found the will to keep going after all this time, and he was never one to talk about it. She admired his strength and his independence but she couldn't help but feel a little helpless when she was the only one who could see how not okay he was and yet she still could do nothing about it. She needed him to let her in. Jace's shoulders were rigid and he stood very still, though he didn't seem very present. Clary was sure he wasn't paying nearly as much attention to his surroundings as he should be, as he usually would be. She stayed on the bed though, and watched him silently.

After a few minutes Jace reached up with a trembling hand and pulled the curtain back over the window, washing the room yet again in darkness. She waited for him to leave the room, fully expecting him to abandon sleep like he usually did when he was woken, and was startled when the bed creaked under his weight. He had sat on the edge of the bed. Clary had jumped only slightly when he had sat but it was enough. Jace knew she was awake.

"How long have you been up Clary?" He said into the darkness.

"How long have you been up?" She said in a tiny voice. She meant to sound as miffed as she felt at his emotionless, almost annoyed tone, but instead she sounded fearful. He turned his body to face her a little, something Clary only knew because of the creaking and shifting of the bed. Even right next to her the darkness was too thick to see through.

"Go back to sleep babe." He said in a much more softer tone. Clary sighed and rolled onto her back, staring towards the ceiling. He didn't understand, it wasn't just that she was upset that she couldn't help him, she also hated waking up with him gone. It reminded her of that horrible day in Idris, the first night they had spent together. She woke up to find that he had left, and would probably never return, leaving nothing but a letter and his ring for her. The same empty pit would open up in her stomach every time she would wake up without his warmth. Clary would have to spend at least an hour convincing herself that he was just in the training room, or downstairs, or in the library. That he would come back.

"Clary?" Jace asked when Clary stayed silent. His voice broke her from her reverie.

"I've been trying so hard." Clary whispered into the night. Jace started to say something but Clary cut him off. "I've been trying to respect your wishes and not push you about whatever is going on with you Jace. You've been distant, nervous, absent. You hardly sleep, you keep leaving me in the middle of the night, for longer and longer periods of time and every time." Clary had to stop as unexpected emotions bubbled in her chest. Her breath hitched and she tried to blink back tears. She didn't know why she was crying. She took a deep breath and Jace waited patiently for her to start again. "Every time I wake up and you're gone I remember that day-"

"In Idris?" He finished for her. Clary's mouth snapped shut, she was ashamed that it was even true, let alone that she was telling him. None of what happened during the war was his fault. He had only been trying to save his family, save her. He had been doing what he thought was right. The fact that it could still hurt her today wasn't his fault either. Suddenly Clary was being pulled against Jace's chest as he laid down and wrapped his arms around her. She settled her head in the crook of his neck and let him rub soothing circled on her back.

"I'm sorry Clary. I don't ever mean to hurt you." Clary didn't miss the fear in his sentiment. Her worry over this trivial matter suddenly took a back seat as she remembered just what was causing all of this. Clary sat up and touched Jace's face softly. This close she could make out the lines of his face, just barely see the way his full lips were pulled down into a slight frown. She could see a few strands of hair had fallen over on side of his face. His brows were furrowed over his eyes that were still so golden even in the dark. He was watching her carefully, unsure and afraid. Clary brushed the strands of hair back off his face and he leaned into her touch affectionately. "Baby." She whispered. He met her eyes in the darkness, a storm brewing behind the gates of heaven. "Please talk to me." she begged in a whisper. More traitorous tears pricked her eyes. It wasn't that she was sad, she just loved Jace so much, and she hated to see him so obviously afraid and hurt. Her heart was breaking that she couldn't do anything for him. Jace brushed her cheek with his own scarred hand. "I am not used to seeing you cry." he said to her evenly, as if they were discussing the weather. Clary couldn't take it anymore. With an animalistic growl in frustration she pushed off his chest and jumped out of bed. She gracefully landed on the balls of her feet and stalked over to the light switch where she rudely flipped it on. Jace groaned and threw his hand over his eyes. "Ouch. Clary what the hell." His shirt was hanging on her tiny frame like a dress, billowing around her thighs. The room was chilly enough to give her goosebumps in her state of undress. Clary had no doubt her curly hair was a wild mess from being slept on, and that her emerald eyes were lit with the fire of her frustration.

"Clary turn the light off what are you doing." Jace was still groaning with his hand over his eyes.

"I'm not used to you making me cry Jace but god dammit I love you. Don't you know that?" At her tone and accusation Jace immediately stopped complaining and lowered his hand to look at her in surprise.

"I love you so much it hurts to breathe sometimes. I don't know what I would do if I ever had to lose you, and you are right here with me every day and yet I feel closer to losing you than I ever have. Not even when you were traipsing around prague with Sebastian did I ever feel this far away from you." Jace winced at the low blow Clary didn't mean to throw. Her anger got the best of her and everything she had been feeling was flying out of her mouth and she couldn't stop it.

"I'm terrified Jace. Of everything because I don't know if there is something seriously going on, or if you're just losing interest, and either way I feel like you don't care enough to tell me about it. You don't keep things from me Jace, you never have. This silence that we have been dancing around for the past month is not us and I am _scared._ I just love you so much. I just want to help, I can't stand seeing the pain so plainly on your face because I cant help you." tears were running down her face hot and fast and she wasn't exactly being quiet. Jace had rolled out of bed too and had been slowly approaching her as she was talking. When she stopped and wiped angrily at the tear tracks on her face he was a mear arms length away from her. His expression was worried and apologetic. He held his slender pianist hands out in front of him, as if he was surrendering to an enemy. When he spoke his voice was soft and cautious, as if trying to persuade a beast to not maul his face.

"I'm sorry Clary. I'm sorry. This isn't us okay love, this isn't us. I'll tell you. Please, come here." He opened his arms to welcome her into his embrace. She looked at him skeptically for a few moments. Taking in his shirtless figure, all the scars and runes lining his abdomen like a road map of his painful past. All the hardships, torture, monsters - demon or otherwise - , and pain he had faced. It was all mapped out on his pearly skin. "You'll tell me?" She asked finally. He dropped his arms in defeat and pursed his lips. With fear spilling out of his golden eyes he nodded. She sighed like a big weight had been lifted and then quietly turned the light back off, took his hand and led him back to bed.


	2. Chapter 2

Jace was a warrior, a warrior who had known nothing but war all his life, until he met Clary. Love was perhaps Jace's greatest fear and when he had found it he thought he was losing something. Clary had taught him that that wasn't true though. She had taught him that love had made him stronger and he had sworn to always remember that, to never forget that love was the greatest weapon in battle. In the last couple weeks he had forgotten though. He had shut her out, just like she had said. He had pushed her away and hoped like hell she would just let it go, let him go. He was a fool to believe she would leave him though, because she loved him. He would never leave her, even if she begged it of him, and it was dumb to believe she would feel any different about him. They were soulmates. They had fought tirelessly to be together. No she wouldn't simple walk away.

No he couldn't keep it from her any longer. He needed her love, their love, his greatest weapon if they were going to survive this. They were sitting on the edge of the bed. Clary's fingers were intertwined with his and she was looking at him expectantly. The darkness was veiling her expression but he could sense her eyes on him. She was waiting.

"Clary, you know how you can hear the Angels?" he started slowly.

"Yeah." She said after a pause. He wondered in the back of his mind if she had nodded in the darkness.

"They have spoken to me too. But not in words, they don't talk to me the way they do you. I keep having these dreams. These awful dreams but I'm afraid they aren't dreams Clary." The emotion was thick in his voice as he tried to hold his emotions back. He would not cry in front of her. Her small delicate hand found its way to his shoulder. "Baby, what are you so afraid of?" She asked. If it had been anyone else he would have snapped back with a snarky comment about how nothing scared Jace Herondale, but it wasn't anyone else. It was Clary, the girl who had seen straight through him since day one, the woman he loved, the warrior he fought with. She knew he was afraid, because he was absolutely terrified.

"I keep having dreams about the faeries rebelling in the not so far off future. Planning an attack on the institute. They are well trained, powerful. There are so many of them we can't fight them off. We weren't prepared for a threat like this. They killed so many shadowhunters. Alec was with magnus thankfully so he wasn't hurt, but Izzy, oh my god Izzy." Jace had to stop again to take a steadying breath. By now Clary's hand had left his shoulder and was covering her mouth which was slightly open with shock. "Izzy was hung by her own whip. I couldn't get to her. I was fighting so hard to move through the masses. I could see her kicking, struggling to free herself. If I could have just gotten to her in time. But by the time I got there, bloody and battered, she was still, staring lifelessly at me as if to ask me where I was. Why hadn't I saved her?" Now a tear fell down his cheek and he barely muffled a sob. These weren't dreams. He was sure of it. They felt to real, they were real. They just hadn't happened yet.

"And then," Jace continued with a shaky breath "And then I heard you scream. You were calling for me. 'Jace! Jace we need Alec. We need Magnus. We can't fight them.' I looked towards you, and you were fighting them. You were fighting so bravely, taking out many faeries, so many I'd lost count. I reached for my phone to call my brother, to call for help, and then" He paused another sob working its way out of his chest. Clary was holding tightly to his hands, kneading them, though whether for his comfort or hers he didn't know anymore. Tears were dancing behind her eyes as well. She knew about their bond with the Angels, she knew better than to think this was actually a dream.

"Then I heard your scream and I started to run. The phone was ringing in my ear but I no longer wanted to call Alec. All I could think about is finding you, helping you, saving you. I fought my way through the mass of faeries to you, all the while being pushed by your screams. Alec picked up the phone but I never heard what he said because I watched the Seelie Queen herself walk up to you and pierce you with the longest blade I'd ever seen. Right through the heart. You weren't screaming anymore, your mouth was just slightly ajar, as if you were pleasantly surprised. As if you were awaiting my kiss. You looked to me and gave me the saddest smile. I watched the light fade from your eyes. I heard the Queen laughing as pain exploded inside me, and then I wake up. Every time. Always the same dream, always happens the same way. Its a vision Clary. I know it is." He was openly crying and begging Clary to understand. He was scared. He couldn't live without her.

Then she was in his lap. Her legs were wrapped around him and her arms were wrapped around his neck. Her face was buried in the crook of his neck. He could feel the wetness on her face and he knew she was crying. She believed him, she knew it was a vision. Her fingers were tangled in his hair and she pressed so tightly against him. He clung to her too, letting his fear finally take him while he was in her arms. Quiet, fearful sobs began falling out of his chest.

"I love you." He kept crying into her shoulder. She would murmur quietly back to him, shushing him and reassuring him. She was the only person in the world he could be like this with.


	3. Chapter 3

"We won't let it happen Jace. We can stop it from happening. Why have you not told anyone?" She questioned, still not pulling back from him.

"I didn't think anyone would believe me. I didn't want to be treated like some traitor for having knowledge of our enemy. You saw how fast they wanted to blame us when it was Valentine." Clary's heart hurt for Jace, remembering just how harshly he was punished simply for who he was raised by. She could see why he was so skeptical. But they had to do something. Together they would tell the clave and they would have to believe them. They would be prepared for this attack. Jace's vision wouldn't come true. Clary leaned back and cupped his face. She rubbed the tears on his face away with her thumbs. He never cried. "I'm going to fix it Jace. We are going to fix it. It won't happen, I promise. I won't let it happen. I'm not going anywhere." He was looking at her with vulnerable golden eyes, the tears wetting his lashes and making him appear younger. "Im not going anywhere Jace. I won't leave you." Before she got the last sentence out he crashed his lips onto hers. The kiss was so desperate it about knocked the wind out of Clary. She returned the kiss. She hadn't felt more than a whisper of a kiss from his lips in weeks. She craved him more than he could know. His fingers were knotting themselves in her already wild hair and she locked her ankles behind his back. In one swift motion he stood with her attached to him and gracefully laid them on the bed with her beneath him. He supported his weight on his arms. She looked up at him with hungry eyes as he searched her face desperately.

"I can't lose you Clary." He said his breath fanning over her face. She rolled her hips against him making him bite his lip.

"You never will. I promise. Let me help you." She said breathlessly. The desperation finally turned to hunger as she lifted herself slightly to be able to reach his lips. His tongue wasted no time in asking for entry and she didn't hesitate granting it. It had been way too long since she had gotten to sleep with Jace. She needed him. His hands found their way into his shirt and he was delighted to find her braless underneath it. She arched her back to give him better access to her breasts as she moaned quietly letting him know she needed this. Her sounds did their job and in one motion he had his pants off and was back on top of her, caressing her breasts.

Clary could only take so much teasing. She lifted his shirt over her head and tossed it to the floor. Jace growled with approval. He began working hot kisses down her neck and chest, stopping only to nibble at a few places. "Jace. Please. I can't anymore, please." She was begging him for release, and he didn't have the will to fight her. He had spent the last few weeks dreading that every day would be the last one he sees her alive. He had been trying to distance himself from her. But now that she knew, now that she could help him stop it, he needed her. He had missed her so much. Her beautiful body pressed against his, the way her hair smelled as her kissed her neck. The delicious sounds she made when he touched her just right. " _Jace_." She moaned. That was all Jace could take. He pushed inside her not slowly, but not roughly either. She gasped in pleasure. They clung to each other as he moved skillfully, hitting all the places he knew she loved. It wasn't long before she was pulsing underneath him, her orgasm pulling his name out of her throat and bringing him to his own release. He supported his weight above her and rested his head on her shoulder. While they both caught their breath she rubbed his back soothingly, a silent thank you. Silent and unnecessary, his heart was so full due to how close he was to her, he needed no thank you. When he could breath again he rolled off of her but pulled her onto him in the same motion. Her head rested on his chest and he began rubbing the same circled into her back. "Thank you for letting me in." she mumbled into the darkness. Jace kissed her forehead. "I should have never shut you out. Please don't go." He whispered the last part. HIs ever present fear still tugging at his brain. Will tomorrow be too late?

"Never." she promised groggily. Jace chuckled, letting himself relax for the first time in a month. "Love you." she muttered as she began to fall asleep. Jace smiled to himself as sleep began to tug him under as well. "I love you too angel." Then sleep captured them both and for the first time in a month Jace slept without dreams.


	4. Chapter 4

Jace and Clary wasted no time telling the institute about Jace's visions. The afternoon after Jace told Clary, they gathered everyone in the library and told them about the faerie uprising. Izzy and Alec stood behind them 100% and together the four of them convinced everyone this was for real. Jace could see some people were skeptical but no one would question Maryse. Maryse was adamant about taking the threat seriously given the unquestionable connection Jace and Clary had to the Angel, and sent a fire message to the clave, warning them of the impending attack and asking for aid for the institute. She was sure they would help. Alec had left the library soon after that to try and call magnus, to ask for his help in establishing wards as soon as possible. Izzy lingered a while, stopping to hug Jace. A surprising gesture that left Jace a little rattled. He was used to Clary seeing him as vulnerable, but anyone else seeing was hard for him. It made sense it was Izzy though. Of course Alec always knew when Jace felt vulnerable, but he knew that for Jace's sake it was best to ignore it. So hugging wasn't something Alec did in times like this. This was definitely an Izzy thing. She held him firmly and told him she loved him. She could only imagine how hard it must have been for Jace to see all of that. Jace really loved his younger sister, sometimes.

Alec returned a few moments after that and told him he couldn't reach Magnus by phone but was going to go try him at his loft. He promised to be back as soon as possible. He too stopped briefly and looked Jace in the eyes. The two shared something in that small moment that was far more intimate than anyone in the room could understand. With their eyes they were exchanging their vow all over again, simultaneously promising to have each others back, and asking the other to watch out for themselves. In that one moment of eye contact Alec and Jace had established the love they had for each other much more eloquently than anyone could have put into words. Then Alec was gone. Maryse slipped out, mumbling about spreading the word throughout the institute. She wasn't good at being vulnerable. Finally Izzy left, saying she wanted to get some extra training done. When the door to the library clicked shut for the final time Jace searched the room for Clary. She had slipped out of the circle of commotion and was perched on a window seat overlooking the city. Her eyes were gazing out the window, she did not hear Jace approach. "How you doing Angel?" He asked her. He felt a whole lot better knowing everyone knew and was preparing themselves now. He knew it wouldn't be long before the Clave sent more help. They had done the right thing. They would be safe now, he wouldn't have to lose Izzy and Clary.

"I'm good." She said. She attempted a smile at Jace but it got lost in her eyes.

"Hey. What's wrong?" He asked perching next to her on the seat. Her emerald green eyes met his and she searched his face for a while, an indent forming between her eyebrows. Jace reached up and gently smoothed it out with his finger. She sighed and looked down pulling away from his touch. "Clary. Talk to me." he said.

"I just feel like we are missing something. Or like we screwed up somehow. I don't know something just feels off to me. It feels too easy." She finally mumbled as she intently watched the street below. Jace put a finger under chin and guided her face so she was looking at him. "We didn't miss anything. We did everything right. You were right last night. You fixed it. Everything is going to be okay Clary." he reassured her. He could see the doubt playing behind her eyes still but she smiled a more genuine smile. Jace knew what she was feeling. They were all used to war, and specifically used to having things go wrong just when they seem like they are going right. This was different though. They weren't in war. They had won the war. This was just a battle, and they had the upper hand. They had pretty much already won it. She would just need time to see that.

Jace leaned over and gave her a slow kiss that she reciprocated lovingly. Everything was going to be okay, Jace knew it. They had stopped mass carnage yet again, him and his girl.


	5. Chapter 5

Okay guys . I realized there was some mix ups on the chapters and some double posting. I got it straightened out though and we are back on track. So sorry for the confusion! This scene picks up right after the talk jace had with Clary in the library. Hope you enjoy some much deserved Malec (: R&R!

* * *

Alec made it to Magnus's loft where he found his boyfriend sleeping. When he had woken him he didn't allow Magnus to distract him, though he wanted to. Magnus had a way of making everything he did beautiful, and waking up from a cat nap on the sofa was no exception.

"Why the surprise visit sweet pea?" Magnus asked once he was good and awake.

"Jace is having visions." Alec informed, all business now. He couldn't afford to be lovey with Magnus right now. Jace needed him.

"Visions?" Magnus asked skeptically. Alec told him the whole tale that Clary had relayed to them that morning. He told Magnus about the faeries and their uprising. He told him about Izzy's death and Clary's.

"Oh biscuit." Magnus had said quietly, more to himself. Alec watched him for a while waiting for Magnus to say anything else.

"I knew that when the war ended it wasn't over." He finally said. Alec furrowed his brow. "I just didn't know it would be this soon."

"What are you talking about magnus?" Alex asked.

"The Seelies are a proud people and the Clave made them out to be fools. Banished them like peasants. Plus Clary refused the queen twice personally and I always wondered why the queen let her get away with it. No one refuses the queen." Magnus rubbed his unusually plain face. "I just thought they would wait a few hundred years." Magnus finished. Alec watched his boyfriend worriedly.

"Will you put some wards up around the institute?" Alec asked. Magnus looked really tired despite his early afternoon lamp. He rose from the couch and touched Alec's cheek lightly. "Of course Alexander. Let me put some more suitable clothes on and we will leave right away." He said simply. Alec grabbed magnus's hand before he could walk away though. "Hey. Are you okay?" He asked as he pulled Magnus back to stand in front of him. Alec touched the dark circles under his cat eyes. "You look like you aren't feeling well." Magnus smiled sweetly at Alec's genuine concern. He leaned up and kissed Alec lightly on the mouth. It was just a short peck on the lips but it pulled a smile from Alec anyway. "I'm fine Sweet Pea. Just not awake yet is all. Give me a few minutes and I'll be looking as good as ever." Alec wrapped his arms around Magnus's waist and pulled his against him. "You look fantastic Magnus. You always do." He said eyeing his boyfriend hungrily. Magnus smiled devilishly at Alec. "Stop that Alexander or you will start something we seriously do not have time for." He winked at Alec before flouncing away into his bedroom. Alec watched him go chuckling to himself. He really didn't know how he got so lucky sometimes.

Alec was broken from his reverie by the sound of his phone ringing. He took it out of his back pocket. It was Jace. Alec shrugged and slid the green arrow over. "Hello?" He said into the receiver.


	6. Chapter 6

_Alec was broken from his reverie by the sound of his phone ringing. He took it out of his back pocket. It was Jace. Alec shrugged and slid the green arrow over. "Hello?" He said into the receiver._

* * *

"CLARY! CLARY! NO, DON'T CLOSE YOUR EYES DAMNIT. DON'T. YOU PROMISED ME, YOU PROMISED YOU WOULDN'T LEAVE NO OPEN YOUR DAMN EYES."

"Jace! Jace! What's going on?! JACE!" Alec was yelling into the receiver trying to get his parabatai's attention. His rune was throbbing. All he could think was that Jace was hurt. "Jace Please tell me whats going on!?" he screamed again. Magnus came running back into the room fully dressed. His face had dread written all over it. Alec listened to chaos across the receiver as he looked into his boyfriend's eyes with fear and pain.

"Alec! Alec you guys need to get here quick. She's dying. I can't live without her Alec. Please!" Jace finally said into the phone. Realization dawned on Alec and his heart broke into over time. They were too late. "We're too late." Magnus uttered out loud.

"Jace where is Izzy!"

"Please. Clary. Alec please." Jace was crying.

"Jace!" Alec snapped. "Izzy?"

"She got out, she got out. Alec, Clary is dying! Please what if it were magnus? Please bring magnus and save her." Alec felt his rune for Jace throb again and he knew then that the pain wasn't an external wound. Jace was being wounded, he was hurt fatally. Just not on the outside. Alec looked to Magnus as the question Jace just asked rang in his head _What if it were Magnus_. Alex knew if they didn't make it that Jace would suffer, as he would if it were Magnus. Panic was creeping its way into Alec's expression. Magnus met his eyes and nodded his head.

"Jace. Tell her to hold on. We are coming. Do you hear me? I'm coming. Hold on." Alec hung up the phone and quickly deposited it in his back pocket. They had to get to the institute fast. As if Magnus was reading his mind he conjured a portal and together they leaped through it right into carnage.

The Institute was a total disaster. Blood and debris littered every inch of the floor. Bodies were being piled into corners by the remaining Shadowhunters. Faerie and Shadowhunter alike, there were hundreds of them. The clave must have sent scouts right away, there was never this many Shadowhunters in the institute. Magnus had portaled them right outside of the elevator, but church was not there to greet them. They would have to find Jace and Clary on their own.

"DON"T TOUCH HER!" Alec looked at Magnus, and Magnus looked at Alec. So maybe they wouldn't have to do much finding. "I SAID STOP!" Then Alec broke into a sprint towards the sound of his Parabatai's broken screams. He didn't have to look to know Magnus was right beside him, he could feel his boyfriend as if they were moving as one.

They rounded the corner leading to the training room, and there right outside the door was Jace. The only was Alec could describe the way his brother looked was _crumpled_. He literally looked like he had been wadded up like an unneeded sheet of paper and thrown on the ground beside Clary. Clary was lying too still beside him. She had no coloring on her cheeks or lips. If it weren't for the tiniest of movement in her shoulders that told Alec she was still breathing he would have believed her dead, like the others. Blood was pooling beneath her from the wound in her chest, so much it was running off and some had begun to soak through Jace's jeans.

Jace looked up at the sound of their approach and like he had been shocked he seemed to unfold and come back to life. He stood with only a moment's hesitation and hugged Alec hard. His face was soaked in tears and his clothes were torn and bloody. He smelled of copper and ichor and but Alec hugged him back. Though his muscles were strained and bulging from the fight he felt impossibly feeble in Alec's arms.

Magnus bent to Clary immediately. "My poor Biscuit." he was muttering as he examined her wounds. "Was she poisoned?" Magnus asked. His fingers were wet with Clary's blood and he appeared to be sniffing it. Jace sniffled pathetically and turned to face Magnus and Clary again.

"I dont know. The Queen stabbed her with a really long blade. I got to her in time to knock it out of the way of her heart but she immediately passed out. The wound won't close, it won't stop bleeding. An Iratze is doing nothing for it. I dont know what to do." More tears were streaming down Jace's face as he told his helpless tale. Alec's heart hurt for him, he knew exactly what Jace was feeling and he couldn't imagine what he would be doing if it were Magnus lying on the ground. Magnus was already conjuring up his magic, lighting the room with a blue hue. Within a few minutes he had her bleeding under control. Alec could feel the weight lifting off of Jace's shoulders as he began to hope. "I might be able to help her, but we need to move her to the infirmary, this is going to take a while." Magnus told Jace gently. Jace was looking at him with wild golden eyes, afraid to even touch her lest the make it worse. Alec put a hand on Jace's shoulder. "She will be okay Jace." He tried to sound convincing. Jace looked from his brother and then to the warlock and gave a tight nod. "Okay, but let me, okay?" Jace said. Neither Magnus nor Alec tried to fight him. Jace bent and gathered the petite redhead in his arms. "I'm so sorry Angel." he whispered to her and then he lifted her with ease despite the awkward way she was limply hanging. The three of them walked mournfully to the infirmary, none of them knowing if the small girl they'd come to think of as family would ever wake up again. They passed Isabelle and Maryse on the way, both looking beat up but okay. Alec was relieved to know that no other member of his family was hurt. They walked the whole way in silence and once inside Jace laid Clay down on one of the clean mattresses. Jace apologized again to Clary, as if he could feel how much pain she was in, but Clary herself never stirred.


	7. Chapter 7

Magnus worked tirelessly through the night. Jace stayed with him for most of it until Magnus forcibly removed him and ordered him to get some sleep. Still Jace wouldn't leave until finally a stressed Magnus pulled him into an unexpected hug. "I'm not going to let her die Jace, but I won't let you make yourself ill either. Trust me." He had insisted. Jace awkwardly returned the hug, finding the affection more comforting than he imagined it would be. Reluctantly Jace left Magnus with his girl. Unable to even think of sleep he had retreated to the now clean training room. It was void of life, and death Jace noted as it had been full of dead bodies not too long ago. Once inside though Jace found he himself picturing the bodies there. Thinking of all the dead shadowhunters, all his dead people. It pushed him to train. To train hard. He picked weapon after weapon until that wasn't enough for him. Then he started throwing all his force at the multiple bags around the room. Punches, kicks, slams. Every blow he threw with all of his strength. He was covered in sweat and more than a little sore, in fact he was almost sure one of his shoulders was dislocated but he pushed through. All the while seeing the dead bodies of his people piling up, seeing what could have happened to Izzy, how she could have hung from the rafters, seeing Clary as she fell unconscious to the floor, the life draining out of her with every passing second. Jace turned ready to deliver a powerful roundhouse kick when he was knocked from mid air and deposited painfully on the floor. He landed with an audible thud and crack that might have been a broken bone. He grunted in pain and looked for the source of the interruption. A surprised and fearful looking Isabelle stood above him breathing heavily, as if she had been snuck up on.

"That was almost my face Jace." She scolded. "I knocked, and called your name. You didn't even hear me." she was frowning down at him as Jace tried to stand through the pain searing through his sternum. He undoubtedly had a broken rib. "I'm sorry Izzy. I just got a bit lost." he sighed, giving up and relaxing against the floor. Isabelle sighed and then laid next to her brother. She stared up at the ceiling unseeing, letting herself have an introspective moment.

"I almost died today." Izzy said.

"You almost die a lot of days Iz. It's our job." he said plainly.

"No, I mean. I was supposed to die today." Jace was silent. She wasn't wrong. Jace had seen her die in his visions. Just like he'd seen what happened to Clary. Yet Izzy got away, even though Clary didn't.

"What happened?" Jace had been so worried about Clary he had no idea how Izzy had gotten away or what had happened to her. He had just happened to see her when he was on the phone with Alec.

"I didn't have my whip with me. After Alec left I had gone to the training room to train, but I forgot my whip in my room. So I played with some of the other weapons for a while. When I decided to go get my whip, I hadn't quite made it to my room when the alarms started going off. I fought with a sword today."

"So they couldn't hang you. Why? Why did your part of the story change? I don't understand." Jace was wracking his brain for any kind of loophole that would have saved his sister but he just didn't understand his visions enough. He had no idea why things were different then he saw them.

"How is Clary?" Izzy said after a few moments of silence. Jace just silently shook his head as more tears slipped down his cheeks. He didn't know, and Magnus didn't know. He couldn't save her and now her life was in limbo and nothing they were doing was helping.

"She's a fighter Jace. She's going to pull through this." Izzy reached over and grabbed Jace's hand. She held it firmly in hers. Izzy's hands weren't delicate and long like Clary's. Clary had the hands of an artist, they were nimble and fast, but very feeble and bony. Izzy was a purebred warrior and like her brothers her hands were rough from war. Strong too. Her grip could be every bit as strong as Jace's. Jace couldn't form the right words, or any words really so he just held her hand tightly too.

After a few long moments of silence Izzy stood up from the floor. Jace thought she was going to leave with that but she stopped short and turned back to him. He looked into her dark eyes and found remorse swimming under their surfaces. "I'm sorry Jace. I'm sorry the vision was wrong about me and I'm sorry it was not wrong about Clary."

Jace furrowed his brow at his sister. With a great deal of pain he found the strength to finally climb to his feet. "Isabelle." He grunted. Izzy reached for Jace and supported his weight, she took her stele out and quickly drew an iratze on a bare spot in his skin. After a few moments Jace was able to stand and breathe normally again. "Thank you." He said. She nodded at him and then turned to leave again. "Hey no." Jace reached for her arm and spun her back around. "I wanted to say something to you." She turned her wide eyes up at him and waited.

"I'm worried sick about Clary Izzy. And I wish more than anything that I could have stopped this from happening, could have saved her somehow."

"I know Ja-" Izzy started to say softly.

"But." Jace cut her off "I am _not_ sorry that the vision was wrong about you, and you shouldn't be either. I wouldn't have survived losing you either Iz." Izzy smiled sweetly at her brother. "I know Jace. I know." then she turned swiftly and left Jace alone again in the training room.

After Jace was showered and in new clothes he returned to Clary's room in the infirmary. He knew Magnus would not let him in so he settled himself against the door. Contented to just be this close to her, and able to hear if anything major happened. Jace was dozing in and out of sleep when a sound on the other side of the door caught his attention. He heard Alec's voice. Immediately alerted by this fact Jace took out his stele and activated his rune that allowed him to hear past the door. He held his breath and waited.

"I dont know Alexander." Magnus was saying.

"Do you think there was demon poison on the blade?" Alec inquired.

"No. It's more complicated than demon poison. More intricate. I think it has angelic origins."

"How is that possible?" Alec sounded unconvinced and maybe a bit worried about Magnus's stability. Jace certainly was.

"The Seelie are part angel too. Perhaps the queen learned more from her drabbling in demon affairs than anyone knew. I don't know Alec I can't figure it out and I can't wake her up. Her wounds are healed and she is physically fine but her heart rate is slow and her brain activity is abysmal. Something has her, and I can't bring her back." The remorse and pain was clear in Magnus's voice. Alec didn't speak again but Jace could imagine he was now embracing his lover, comforting him. Jace envied him so much it hurt. Clary wasn't going to wake up. Not unless they could find out what was pulsing through her veins. Jace leaned his head back against the door. His poor Clary.


	8. Chapter 8

Sorry it has been so long since I updated! I have been drowning in school work, coming up on midterms and everything. I finally found some time to do some writing though so I wanted to give yall at least a little something. Thank you for your patience and as always please R&R

* * *

Alec kissed Magnus on the top of his head. Alec had sat with him for most of the night while he tried spell after spell trying to wake Clary up. It had been an unsuccessful night full of disappointment and fear. Alec knew he needed to get some sleep. Magnus did too but he knew he would never convince Magnus to take a break. The Silent Brothers would get to the institute undoubtedly before the sun sets again, and Magnus wouldn't stop until then. "I'm going to go try and sleep so I can help you if I need to later." He told his boyfriend. "Okay." Magnus hardly looked up from what he was doing. Alec gave him a sad smile, this wouldn't be an easy loss for anyone if Magnus was unable to sustain her.

Alec opened the door and about tripped over a dark heap on the floor. "What the hell?" Alec kneeled down to get a better look and realized with a start that it was Jace. He was curled up tight on his side right next to the door. Tear tracks stained his cheeks but his face was relaxed in sleep. Alec looked over his shoulder to Magnus. "Magnus." Alec called. Finally Magnus looked up. He stopped doing what he was doing and merely smiled. "Good. He needed the sleep. I can't imagine he'd been sleeping well even before tonight with all the vision dreams. At least this night he won't be having any bad dreams." Magnus stared lovingly at Jace for few more seconds and then seemed to remember the task at hand. He went back to relentlessly working over Clary. Alec stared at his parabatai. His sleeping face was peaceful and innocent. Even with the tears staining his face he was beautiful. Alec couldn't deny Jace's beauty, he just had a better handle on how he felt about it. He loved Jace, but not like that, not anymore. "Jace. Hey Jace." Alec shook him lightly. Jace grumbled but slowly stirred awake. "Cmon buddy." Alec helped Jace wobble half asleep to the bed next to Clary's. Magnus hadn't wanted Jace in there but Alec wasn't going to argue the point with Jace like this. When Alec was met by a stern glare from Magnus Alec smiled. "If it were me, would you want to leave?" Alec asked simply, letting Magnus in on the point Jace kept making to him. Magnus frowned and then silently went back to working, answering Alec's question in much greater detail than any word could describe.

Once Jace was settled into the bed Alec left the Infirmary. He was shaken, tired, and scared as hell. He couldn't wait to let sleep take him for a while. It had been way too long since he's last slept.

Alec was woken by loud noises somewhere in the institute. Lots of voices and what sounded like marching. He sat up surprised in bed and clung to his dagger that he kept beside his bed. As a shadowhunter, you could never be too careful. A knock sounded at his closed bedroom door. "Alec. Get up, the Silent Brothers and soldiers from the clave are here." It was Izzy's quiet urgent voice that came through the wood. Alec immediately relaxed and returned the dagger to his bedside table. After rubbing his face he swung his long legs out of his bed and hurried to put some fresh clothes on and join his sister.

The soldiers had very little to report. They searched the Seelie court but the Seelies were long gone. Everyone had assumed they would be. They did find the blade that was shoved through Clary's sternum, though the blade itself was gone, the hilt was all that was left. Alec searched the crowd of remaining shadowhunters, wondering if Jace and Magnus were here listening. The Silent Brothers had went immediately to the infirmary to relieve Magnus. Alec didn't see either of them though and he longed to join his brother and lover in the infirmary. Izzy collected the hilt of the queen's blade to take it to be examined. Maryse took the leader aside and began speaking with him in hushed voices once the report was all but over. Alec knew she was speaking to him about tracking the Seelies. There wasn't an official order from the clave yet but Alec knew it was coming, especially if... If Clary died. Alec had to clench his eyes closed to dispel the thought. Clary and him had ever had the best relationship, but there was something about her, something that just felt so right. Their family would forever be altered if she didn't make it.

Once the report from the soldiers officially concluded Alec took off towards the infirmary. When he reached the now familiar room of his would be sister a ominous Silent Brother stopped him before he entered. _You cannot go in_ he "said" to him.

"What do you mean I cant go in?" Alec snapped.

 _You have to let the Brothers work. No one is permitted to enter._

"Jace and Magnus are in there." He argued defiantly.

 _The warlock and grief stricken shadowhunter have been removed as well. They are long gone._

"Where did they go?" Alec was now really confused. If they weren't in here why weren't they at the meeting?

"Alexander?" Magnus called from behind Alec. Alec whipped around and faced a sickly looking Magnus. Alec silently wrapped his arms around Magnus and held him close. Magnus returned the hug weakly. "You need to rest Magnus." Alec said into his ear. Alec could feel his boyfriends smile on his shoulder. "I'm fine." Magnus muttered. "I just needed this." he amended as he hugged Alec closer. Alec kissed Magnus's temple lightly before pulling away. "Where's Jace?" Magnus had dark circles beneath his cat eyes, and his usual caramel skin had a sickly white tint to it. His usually spiked hair was flat and his hands were trembling ever so slightly. Alec waited for his answer all the while watching him with concern. "Jace was gone before the Silent Brothers got here. He woke suddenly and watched me for only a few seconds. Then without a word he left the room and I haven't seen him since. I've been trying to find him myself." Alec furrowed his brow. Jace had left Clary before the Silent Brothers got there? He hadn't come to the meeting? Where would he have gone? What was he up to? Just as Alec was starting to voice these questions to Magnus, Magnus gasped quietly and began to fall unconscious to the ground. "Magnus!" Alec exclaimed as he reached out to catch his boyfriend before he fell to the ground. "Magnus!" Alec called as he tried to shake Magnus awake. He looked behind him desperately to the Silent Brother posted by Clary's door. "Help!" Alec called.


	9. Chapter 9

I love hearing from everyone! I have had the nicest reviews on this story! I am so sorry I don't update quicker, but I should be finished with midterms now so I will try to be better about it! I hope you guys are enjoying the story so far. It has certainly turned completely away from the fluffy one shot I thought it was going to be! Thank you again for all the wonderful reviews! Keep making them, they are the best inspiration! Enjoy!

* * *

"SIMON!" Jace beat heavily on the wooden door. "Simon open the door!" Simon was planning to leave for the academy in Idris but he hadn't yet. For now he had moved back into the apartment he shared with Jordan. Clary and Izzy had been spending a lot of time with Simon trying to reacquaint him with them and the shadow world. Things were slow going, and his memories were only returning in pieces. Jace's only hope is that Simon would care enough without him and Clary's past to risk his life for her. "SIMON!" Jace beat the door harder. It was about mid afternoon where was that mundane?

"Okay, okay, jesus dude." Simon grumbled as the door swung open. His eyes were crunched shut and he was running his head. He looked like he had just woken up. His shirt was wrinkled and he had on pajama pants.

"Did you seriously just wake up? Its like 3 in the afternoon." Jace asked appalled. Simon turned his sleepy eyes on the shadowhunter with a look so annoyed it could win a trophy. Jace couldn't help the sideways smile that spread across his face. Simon had quickly become his favorite mundane, though he would never tell him that.

"Well are you going to tell me what you want, or are you just going to smile at me all day?" Simon quipped. The smile quickly fell off Jace's face.

"Clary is hurt." He said sadly. Simon's eyes widened behind his wire framed glasses.

"Hurt how? Is she going to be okay?" the concern was evident, but Jace knew it wasn't anywhere near what it would have been, had he still been the old Simon. Jace ran his hands through his hair in frustration. "I don't know Simon. I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important. I really need your help."Simon searched Jace's eyes for a couple minutes, trying to make sense of this more rattled Jace. He had not seen the shadowhunter so shaken before. Then something seemed to click in his mind and his face set in determined lines. "Come in." He said and stepped out of the way of the door.

"Magnus!" Alec was shaking him frantically, but his boyfriend would not stir. Sweat was beading up on Magnus's forehead and he was getting paler by the second. The brother that had been standing by Clary's door now stood behind Alec, peering down at the warlock. _He has been poisoned_. The brother knelt and touched Magnus's cheek. "Poisoned? With what? By who?" Alec was frantically shouting questions at the creepy figure touching his boyfriend all the while clinging to Magnus's shoulders. _Release him Shadowhunter and I can try to find out_ The Silent Brother insisted. Alec looked surprisingly at his own whitened knuckles, realizing how tightly he was holding onto Magnus. Slowly he managed to untangle his fingers from Magnus's now sweaty shirt. As soon as the contact was broken the Silent brother whisked Magnus away, as if the man weighed nothing. Alec was left alone of the floor, on his knees, with his hands hanging open as if he could will the space to be filled with Magnus once more. He watched like a lost child as the Brother and the love of his life disappeared into the same room where Clary was fighting for her life. Pain struck him with the most helpless feeling of dread as he realized just what Jace meant, just how Jace felt as he was screaming into the phone. " _Please Alec, what if it were Magnus?"_ What if it was Magnus?

Izzy had spent the better part of the hour running test after test on the hilt of the blade used to stab Clary. The Clave was hopeful that they could find some answers to what was happening to Clary, even though the blade itself seemed to be missing. So far though all Izzy could determine for sure was that the blade seemed to have been melted off. Bits of the remaining metal showed obvious signs of being exposed to immense heat. She sat with her head in her hands as she waited for the various machines to spit back any kind of answer that would help them in anyway. No one wanted to see the worst happen to Clary, not to mention what would become of Jace. Jace who had lived the worst life of all, and deserved to be happy the most. She just couldn't wrap her head around this attack. Izzy had known the Seelies were angry about the ruling from the Clave but she had once been very comfortable with their people. As slimy and diabolical as they were she never would have expected them capable of this. A quiet beeping sounded one of the tests were finished and she hurried over to it to inspect the findings. The processor had found remnants of warlock magic. Isabelle's eyebrows pulled together. If any warlock had been involved with this Magnus would have known. Isabelle stuck the specimen in another machine to run the biological code on the magic, to see if it could pick on the specific warlock mark and pinpoint just whose magic was involved in the making of this weapon.

This test was much shorter, only taking a couple minutes before it too was letting out a muted beep indicating it was finished. Izzy picked up the printed sheet of results and gasped. The sheet indicated the mark to be of a cat, the warlock magic found on the blade was Magnus's. Izzy folded the paper up and stuck it secretly into her pocket. Carefully locking the hilt of the blade and all the specimens up she left the lab, making sure no one watched her do so. She needed to find Alec and Magnus and ask them what this was about, and she needed to do it before the Clave found out and had Magnus arrested.


	10. Chapter 10

"So what exactly do you think we can do Jace? You said so yourself that the faeries have fled. How are we supposed to find them, let alone beat them?" Simon was staring at the distressed Jace apprehensively. Simon knew that Jace loved Clary, he could see it all over the shadowhunter, all of the time. He never knew Clary could affect him this much though. He was pretty much talking about suicide, standing up against the Seelie army, just the two of them. Doesn't he know that if they die they would be _no_ help to Clary.

"Stop looking at me like that mundane. I'm not crazy, this could work. It has too." Jace trailed off, trying to hide how obviously he didn't believe his own words.

"I mean, why don't you ask Izzy, or Alec, they are much more powerful than I am. Did you forget that I am only human now? All I'd do is get in your way."

"I can't ask Izzy and Alec. They are too wrapped up in the clave business handling all of this. They are leaders amongst our people now. The clave is looking to them just as much as they are looking to their parents. I couldn't ask Izzy and Alec to jeopardize their standing for this." Simon nodded along as his mind struggled to keep up with all the terms Jace was saying. He was still trying to get a firm hold on this new life-er-old life? Simon wasn't sure what the right term was anymore. "Jace I still don't see how I could help you. I want to. I want to help Clary, I don't want her to die, but I don't belong in this world. Not anymore."

"Simon," Jace leveled Simon with his golden eyes, seeming to really look at Simon now for the first time since he knocked on the door. "You are a Shadowhunter in training, or you will be, you belong in this world just as much as I do. You can help me." Simon rubbed his hand down his face and swallowed to try and dispel the intensity Jace's gaze had stirred in the air. He was set to leave for the academy in the fall, and if he could keep up he would be a real shadowhunter, just like Jace. Jace was right. He needed to believe he could do this, if he was ever going to do this. He dropped his hands and opened his eyes slowly, finding the intense golden gaze still there. Ever so subtly Simon nodded. "Okay. What's the plan?"

"Alec!" Izzy was strutting through the infirmary, hollering for her brother. She abandoned her mission of stealth once she passed into the infirmary, knowing none of the Clave would be in here. None except the Silent Brothers, who would hear what she was thinking anyway so what did it matter? "Alec!" She yelled again. She hooked a right, the only sound following her was the _click clack_ of her heels. When she rounded the corner she saw Alec, on his knees outside of Clary's room. He was staring towards her, but he didn't seem to see her. The distress was obvious in his eyes. "Alec?" Izzy said quieter as she approached Alec. His dark eyes seemed to refocus as he finally tipped his head up to look at his sister. "Iz?" his voice was broken.

"Alec what' wrong? Is Clary…?" Izzy looked towards the red head's door.

"No," Alec quickly shook his head and dropped his face into his hands. "She's fine, well she's the same. It's Magnus. "

"Magnus? What about Magnus?" Izzy held her hand out to Alec and pulled her older brother to his feet.

"Brother Cimon believes he has been poisoned. I should have known. By the Angel Izzy, before the attack yesterday, he had been napping, and he looked so _tired_. I tried to ask him if he was okay, but he insisted he just wasn't awake yet. He was sick. I should have know. And he's been pouring all of his energy into Clary. Oh my god." Alec was rambling nervously as he looked down the hall, waiting for time to turn back, so he could do the impossible and fix all of this. "Alec," Izzy hugged her brother, wishing she could take away his pain. It was too much for Isabelle to watch both of her brothers battling their own feelings like this. Especially since not only was she powerless to help, but she may have worse news still for Alec. She pulled back and looked hard into Alec's eyes, making sure he was paying attention to her. "Alec listen to me." She pulled him close and dropped her voice extremely low. "I was running analysis on the hilt of the sword the Seelie queen used. There was some minute remnants of the magic infused in the blade. I ran a origin analyses on it and it came back to Magnus. Magnus's magic made the spell on the blade." Alec stared blankly at Izzy for a few minutes. When Izzy just stared back Alec's brow furrowed. "What are you talking about Izzy?"

"I think Magnus had something to do with the spell Alec."

"Are you serious Isabelle?" Alec was all but hollering. "Whatever is happening to Clary, is now also happening to Magnus, so tell me isabelle why in the hell he would poison himself?" The anger was radiating off of him in waves. Izzy wasn't taking it to heart, she knew that he was just upset.

"Alec you need to quiet down. The Clave can't know about this or they will want to arrest Magnus." Izzy said calmly.

"It's not true. Run the test again. I don't know, but you need to fix it." With that Alec turned his back on Isabelle and stormed out of the infirmary. Izzy sighed and ran her fingers through her long dark hair. She missed Clary. She found herself leaning against the door that separated her and Clary, hoping like hell that Alec was right.

Magnus woke slowly, painfully. When his eyes fluttered open there were three rather large and intimidating Silent Brothers standing over him. He resisted the urge to jump. He looked over and could see more working Clary over who was in the bed beside him. Magnus felt like crap, he was exhausted, and he body ached. He had never had a mundane flu before but he imagined this is what it felt like. _How do you feel warlock?_ One of the creepy figures asked inside his head. A pain accompanied his voice, a pain so sharp it made Magnus wince. "I feel awful, but I'm awake so there's something."

 _We cannot reverse the effects of the poison coursing through your veins, but it seems that restorement of your own magic has slowed it enough for you to regain consciousness._

"Poison? I've been poisoned?" Magnus asked, knitting his eyebrows together. The creepy men just stared towards him with their sewn shut eyes. They didn't say it but Magnus heard the resounding _duh_ anyway.

"Where is Alexander?" Magnus asked solemnly.

 _He is just outside._ One of them replied. Magnus thought it was creepy that he wasn't exactly sure which one "said" it.

"Will you let him in? I need to see him." The Silent brothers nodded, well, silently and then made an orderly exit. The last one was not fully through the door when Alec pushed his way in. His dark eyes were red rimmed and puffy, he most certainly had been crying. His hair was disheveled, as if he had been running his hands through it repeatedly. "Magnus, by the Angel." Alec hissed as he wound his hand through Magnus's. Magnus met Alec's concerned gaze with one full of love and fear. "Alexander." He whispered to his boyfriend, unable to think of any comforting words in that moment. "Magnus I am so sorry. I'm sorry I didn't see, that I didn't press you about how sick you looked. I am so sorry" Magnus touched Alec's cheek lightly with the pads of his fingers. Alec's face felt cool against the heat of Magnus's fever. "Stop that. This isn't your fault Alexander." Alec leaned into Magnus's touch but said nothing. Magnus knew that he still felt as if it were his fault. Alec always felt the need to save everyone, to fix everything. He was a jaded hero with no power. His heart was always in conflict. Magnus looked at Alec, really looked at him. He was so young, so inexperienced. There was so much life left for him, but the conflict between them had always been how much life Magnus was going to have. How Magnus was going to go one, once Alec took his last breath. As Magnus stared at the tear stained face of his lover he thought of the horrible irony of the situation they were in, where Alec may very well have to go on with _him._ How would his shadowhunter fair then?

"How do you feel?" Alec finally asked after several long moments of just drinking each other in. Afte he had convinced himself that Magnus was really awake and okay for now. "I was in quite a bit of pain, but the longer I am awake, the less of it I feel. What I feel is tired, worn out. I feel _old_ " Magnus mumbled his response staring off into the distance. Alec reached out and hooked his finger under Magnus's chin, turning his face to him. "I love you Magnus." _please don't die_. Magnus attempted to smile but Alec noted it didn't touch his eyes. "I love you too. I will always love you Alexander, no matter what." Alec stared at Magnus in horror because what Magnus did was declare his love, but Alec knew what he meant was _this might be goodbye_. Tears welled up in Alec's eyes. In a desperate attempt to not let Magnus see him cry he crawled into the bed with his boyfriend. He tucked his face into the crook of Magnus's neck and held both of his hands firmly. "Take some energy from me Magnus." Alec said.

"Alexander"

"Please?"

"You can't fix this for me." Magnus said firmly.

"I know." Alec had to take a couple breaths while he tried to control his emotions. "But please let me try." The last part was hardly a whisper, but Magnus heard it all the same. Soon Alec could feel the familiar tug of Magnus drawing energy from him. They had done it before. So much in fact that it was almost an intimate thing. A deeper connection than even sex. They had to be 100% open to each other. Alec giving, and willing to give. Magnus taking, and admitting he needed to take. Alec kissed Magnus on the neck very softly, telling him without saying, it was okay. He wasn't going anywhere. Alec felt Magnus lean his head against his own as if to reassure Alec, he knew.


	11. Chapter 11

Hey Guys! Sorry it has been entirely too long! So much going on with school I hadn't found the time to write, but I made some time today and wrote a bit of a longer chapter for you guys. Things are beginning to come to a head with our beloved characters so I hope you like it! Please rate and review! i love hearing from you all!

* * *

Jace knew exactly what he needed to do to find the queen. He hoped that the Clave hadn't thought of it yet. If the Seelies felt like the Clave was on to them they would certainly move again. If it were just him though, just him and Simon, then perhaps they wouldn't detect the tracking, or maybe they just wouldn't care. Either way it would be more effective if Jace were the only one who thought to use the hilt of the sword to track the queen. The signal would be faint, but it should be there. The clave isn't stupid. Jace knew they would do this too, once they were done running tests on it. The only way Jace stood a chance was if he didn't wait for the tests to be done.

Simon drove his hideous van back to the institute. He waited patiently by the curb as Jace strode purposefully into the institute. He stalked past church when the elevator doors opened, despite the felines grumble. Clave soldiers were everywhere, busy tracking manually, waiting, Jace hoped, on the still being tested sword hilt. Maryse looked up before Jace was out of the front room and locked her motherly stare on him. He met her eyes mournfully, knowing what he was about to do was going to get her and her family in trouble yet again. She furrowed her eyebrows slightly at his expression but when she seemed to make a move to come to him he quickly shook his head. She couldn't be his mom right now, not now. She sighed but nodded, trusting him. He wished she would stop putting so much faith in him.

As soon as her eyes were off him and he was freed from her stare he took off down the hall. He slowed momentarily passing the infirmary, wondering for a small moment how his girl was doing. If she was still fighting. Then he shook his head. He couldn't think of that right now. Right now he needed to be a warrior, a focused, dedicated soldier, or she would never survive. He continued down the hall until he reached the lab. Thinking it to be deserted he pushed through the door and collided with Izzy. "oomph" the wind pushed out of her lungs as she hit his chest and stumbled backwards. He reached out and steadied her. "Jace." She exclaimed. Jace glared at her. Did she have to be so loud.

"Magnus and Alec have been looking all over for you."

"Why?" He asked, momentarily distracted.

"I don't know." She said thoughtfully. Jace rolled his eyes.

"Izzy. Maryse sent me to get you, they need your help with something in the front room."

"Right now?" Izzy asked, her eyes going a little wide. "Why? I haven't found anything yet. I can't tell them anything." Her voice was jumping up octaves and she was growing increasingly more defensive. Jace eyed her. She was hiding something, something really big. But he didn't have time for that right now. He was hiding something too, a mission, and he needed to do it alone. "Iz. I don't know, but you should go find out before mom gets angry." Jace did his best to keep his facade up as Izzy bit her lip nervously and walked carefully around him and out the door.

Jace moved quickly, knowing he only had a few moments before Izzy realized she had been fooled. He snatched the hilt of the blade from the chamber it was resting in. The machine beeped out a too loud warning for interrupting the test. Jace flinched and quickly ran from the lab, this time not even slowing as he ran past the infirmary. Instead of heading for the elevator, past everyone who could catch him, he ducked down another hall and threw the closed door of his bedroom out of his way. He stopped only to rune the door shut, then turned to the window. It was several stories up, but Jace had immense power. He hesitated only a second before throwing the window open, and leaping from the ledge.

"Magnus?"

"Hm?" He was barely awake now. Alec had felt the tug of his energy getting weaker and knew he was starting to fall asleep.

"I'm going to fix this. I promise." Alec said quietly as Magnus fell all the way into a deep sleep. Once the tug was completely gone, Alec reluctantly untangled his hand from Magnus's. He crept out of the now empty room. Clary was still lying unconscious on the bed beside Magnus but the Silent Brothers were nowhere to be found. Once the door quietly clicked closed, Alec turned to make his way to the lab, to talk with Izzy. Only he found her much quicker than he had expected. "Oomf" Alec said as he ran smack into his sister.

"Alec, Jace stole the hilt of the sword." Izzy said frantically.

"Jace was here?" Alec said distractedly. Where had Jace been all day? Where was he now?

"Alec! Did you hear me? I said Jace stole the hilt of the Queen's sword. He came in, took it, and jumped out of his bedroom window." Alec stared at Izzy for a minute trying to piece together what she was saying. Why would Jace steal the hilt to the sword? It wouldn't be good for anything, unless there was still some traces of the queen on it…

Alec's eyes widened. _Alec please what if it were Magnus?_ Jace's broken voice tore through his head as the weight of the situation bored down on him. Jace was going to find the queen himself, and do anything, everything to get Clary back. Even if it meant dying. He would do so, and he would do it alone, to ensure Clary and everyone else he cared about was safe.

"Jace you idiot!" Alec exclaimed as he pushed around Izzy and headed for the weapons room.

"Alec, what are you doing?" Izzy was breathing hard trying to keep up with her very tall brother.

"I'm going to find him, and I'm going to help him."

"Alec!" Izzy hooked his elbow and pulled him to a stop. "You can't. You'll be in trouble too."

"Izzy. When Jace called me for help, he asked me to understand. He asked 'what if it were Magnus?' and it scared me so bad I couldn't breathe. Then Magnus collapsed in the hallway and all of a sudden it _is_ Magnus. I know why Jace is doing this, I know because I would do it too. I'd do it for Magnus, to make sure that man wakes up tomorrow, even if it means I won't be here to see it. Jace needs someone who understands that, and so do I." Alec started towards the weapons room, more determined than ever.

Izzy watched her older brother walk away from her. Stunned momentarily by the passion and fear in his voice. Izzy had never seen Alec so open about how he felt, let alone willingly lay down his life and position for anyone. Izzy envied her brothers for their connections to their significant others. They were both so sure of who they were and who they loved. Izzy was just now getting back to a good place with Simon, but he had no idea who he was, and that meant he wasn't really sure who she was either. She loved Simon, but she feared he did not love her.

She did understand Alec's devotion to Jace though. She felt the same kind of love for Jace and Alec. She needed them to be safe, they were the most stable things in her life. Izzy set her mouth and then with one final shake of her head she ran after her brother. She was going too. There was nothing he could say to keep her from coming.

"You aren't going Izzy." Alec said tugging his bow off the wall.

"Yes I am Alec."

"No Izzy." Alec looked down into her dark eyes with his impossibly blue ones. Isabelle had always envied him that. "You cannot come. I won't let you die for us, and I cannot focus if I am worried about you. Okay?"

"Alec I can handle myself!" Isabelle was about to launch into a full speech when Alec turned and abruptly pulled her to him in an embrace.

"Iz, I can't trust anyone else to get this part right. If I find a way to cure Clary and Magnus someone needs to be here to make sure it gets done right, so this won't be for nothing. You are the only one I trust to save our sister and the love of my life. Do you understand?" Izzy's breath caught in her throat as she embraced her brother back hard. She realized for the first time that Alec fully expected to not return, and that he wanted her here, so Magnus and Clary wouldn't have to wake up alone. Tears welled up in her eyes as she reluctantly nodded. Her and her brothers were warriors. They were raised with death like a childhood friend, she was no stranger to grief. This however, was not something her training had prepared her for. Saying goodbye to the only brother you had left was not an easy task for anyone, not even her. Alec pulled back and kissed her forehead. "I love you." Alec whispered. Izzy let the tears spill then as she uttered the sentiment back. Without another word Alec turned and headed for Jace's room. There he would find something to use to track him and then he would be gone.

"Izzy, there you are. How are the tests coming on the hilt?" Izzy turned in surprise to see her mother standing before her with an expectant smile on her face. Izzy hadn't told anyone about Jace yet. Then she realized that this could be how she helps her brothers. She may not be able to go, but she could keep the Clave off their trail long enough to hopefully get the answers they needed. Izzy carefully plastered a small smile on her face. "Shouldn't be long now. I was just killing some time. I'll go check on it now." Izzy walked calmly past her mother who smiled and nodded okay, though she saw something in her mother's eyes that said maybe she knew more than she was letting on. "Let me know when you find anything out. I will keep the clave soldiers busy." Maryse's voice was too serious, too low. Izzy was sure now that she knew more than she should. She didn't acknowledge it though, on the off chance Izzy was wrong. She merely walked back to the lab and carefully closed the door behind her. Staring at the empty machine where the hilt should have been Izzy silently asked the Angel to help her family, for they were all so close to destruction.


	12. Chapter 12

"I don't like this Jace." Simon and Jace were crouched behind some bushes in the dark. According to what Jace could pick up on the hilt, the faeries had hid out just outside of New Jersey. Simon couldn't see it but Jace said there was an entrance to their dimension there. The warm air was blowing around them hard enough to make Simon feel unstable in his crouched position. Jace was staring at him seriously in a way that said Jace knew he was going to say that.

"I knew you were going to say that." Jace said.

"You don't care do you?" Simon asked incredulously.

"Of course not." Jace scoffed. Then he turned serious and put a hand on Simon's surprisingly sturdy shoulder. "Listen, you were right before, when you said you were only human and couldn't help me the way Alec or Izzy could. But you're human, you aren't supposed to know about this world anymore, they wouldn't expect me to bring you, so they won't be looking for you. You can hang back, within listening range." Simon stared at Jace. In his head a memory was flashing, one of a angelic looking man leaning against a fence. Simon remembered how it felt sitting there with him and Clary that night, the first night he had met him. He hated Jace then. Hated everything about him. He was so strong, brave, and smart. Simon could remember the inferior way he felt sitting next to Clary, lost in this world that Jace seemed so comfortable in. Looking at Jace now he felt a little like that, just without the hate. All Simon could think was that there was no way he was going to be able to help Clary survive this world without her warrior. Her best friend, sure Simon was that, but Jace always had been, and always will be the only man that could truly keep her safe in this crazy ass world.  
"Jace you're bad ass okay, but you can't take the whole Seelie army. They'll kill you. It'll be easy for them." Simon was pleading desperately, hoping the blonde boy would come to his senses. "You think I'm bad ass?" Jace asked with a playful smile. Simon gave him a disapproving look.

"Jace." Seriously his arrogance was getting out of hand. Jace chuckled sadly and then leveled Simon with a knowing look.

"I know," Jace said solemnly. "That is the point."

"What?" Simon was doing his best not to go off on the shadowhunter. _He knew?!_

"The Seelies are arrogant. They would never miss the opportunity to gloat, if they were absolutely sure they were going to win. I'm banking on the easy kill, because you will be my secret weapon." Simon's jaw fell slack as Jace talked. The more Jace said the more Simon knew that Clary, if she survived this, was going to KILL him. His head was running a mile a minute trying to think of any other way to do this.

"I mean, we have the upper hand Jace. We know where they are and they don't know we know where they are. Can't we just go get the clave now and let them kill her?" Simon was smiling hopefully. Jace slapped him lightly over the head. Simon flinched at the contact and glared at the shadowhunter.

"Are you not listening to me at all Simon?" Jace looked toward the entrance, out past the dark field. "We can't just kill her. Clary will die unless she tells us how to fix it, and she won't do that. Not unless she was certain that whoever she was telling was about to die. It has to be done this way. You have to hang back, you have to listen, and then as soon as you hear how to fix this, you have to run and run like hell. Do you understand me Simon?" Jace looked at Simon with more fear and more worry than Simon could ever remember seeing in his face. " Do not pull any of your stupid mundane hero crap and get yourself killed or all of this will be for nothing. I will die for nothing." Simon's mouth snapped open then shut, once he realized just how far Jace meant to take this kamikaze mission. He had never meant to make it out.

"Then Clary will die too." he finished. Simon was shaking his head no. He couldn't do this. He couldn't let Jace die. Izzy, Alec, and Clary would never forgive him. Hell he would never forgive himself. They were all apart of each other now. Just because he couldn't remember all the things they'd been through together, doesn't mean Simon can't remember the bond they share. When they are all together, it feels right, it feels like coming home, it feels like family. None of that would be the same without Jace. Jace took a deep breath.

"Simon. If I don't do this, then it will be Clary who will die, and if she dies," Jace stopped, seemingly overwhelmed by emotion. Another deep breath later he continued. "If she dies Simon I might as well have died anyway." Simon stared at Jace, noticing once again the intensity in which he loved Clary.

"She's everything to you isn't she?" Simon asked when he could find his voice.

"Valentine taught me that love destroys people. Clary was the one to teach me how wrong that was. Even now as I am about to do something that I know will get me killed, I feel strong. I feel strong knowing that tonight I will save her life, and that she will carry on and one day have kids and grow old and maybe if I'm lucky she will remember me. Through her, through Alec and Magnus, you and Izzy, I'll live on forever. I will truly be immortal, and love gave that to me." Jace wasn't looking at Simon anymore, but Simon knew his eyes were swimming with tears. He could hear it in his voice, and feel it in the air. Jace needed this. After all he was a warrior. Before Clary his only purpose in life was the battle, then the war ended and he found a new purpose to live for in Clary. Now that Clary was dying the warrior in him said there was no better reason to die than for this, this last battle after the war, to save the thing that gave him life. Simon knew he had to help, and do as Jace said. Not just for Clary, but for Jace too.

"I need you to let me do this Simon." Jace said after a while, finally turning back to face Simon. His eyes were dry now, but he wasn't fooling Simon.

"I know." Simon said. "I'm in."

Alec was running. Jace had cloaked himself well but he had been able to pick up his signal all the way to Simon's place. When Alec found the place to be empty he took a wild guess and assumed Simon was with Jace. Discarding the T-shirt he had stolen from Jace's room, he broke into Simon's place and grabbed a jacket. The signal from Simon was much stronger and it only took him a few minutes to find exactly where they were. It took Alec exactly an hour to get from Simon's place to this field just outside of New Jersey. He could feel Simon's presence really close and knew this had to be where they were. He ran into the field, straining his eyes in the darkness to see any sign of his brother and the mundane. They weren't there though. He came up to a bush along the outside wood lining on the field where the signal was coming in the strongest. That was the end of the trail. Alec couldn't track them anymore. He simply disappeared. "What the hell?" Alec mumbled, perplexed by this fact.

"Alec Lightwood. A pleasure." Alec whipped around at the sound of the melodic voice. He came face to face with Meliorn, the Seelie Isabelle used to be involved with.

"Meliorn?" Alec asked confused? What was he doing here?

"We didn't think he would come alone, though he insisted otherwise. We are not that easily fooled. You were naive to think we would fall for that." The seelie soldier said quietly, narrowing his eyes at Alec.

"What are you talking about?" Alec was genuinely confused.

"Guards." Meliorn said, no louder than he was speaking to Alec before. Suddenly Seelie soldiers materialized from the cover of the woods surrounding the field. They surrounded Aec quickly. Alec drew his bow but before he could shoot an arrow two arrows hit his own back. He fell with a gasp from the pain and hit the ground hard. Before Alec could regain his bearings the Seelies had him by the ankles and wrists and were tying him up.

"You can not fool us you naive nephilim, we are much too superior." Meliorn whispered into Alec's ear before he felt another jolt of white hot pain and things went dark.

Isabelle peeked her head into the infirmary room where Magnus and Clary were. Magnus was fast asleep and Clary was still unconscious. Isabelle frowned slightly. She stepped the rest of the way into the room and quietly closed the door behind her as to not wake Magnus up. She moved silently to stand beside Clary. She took the redhead's hand and held it tightly in her own. "Squeeze back Clary." She murmured hopefully. She got no response though. Not that she thought she would, but her heart hoped beyond hope. Isabelle stared at the girl for a while and thought back to when Jace first brought her home. That felt like a whole lifetime ago, and in a lot of ways it was. Izzy had been intrigued and jealous of the girl. Not for Jace's obvious affection toward the girl, just because Clary was a girl. Izzy had been raised with boys, she was used to being the center of attention. It had not been an easy task getting used to sharing that with someone. After all they had been through together, none of those feelings lingered. Afterall Clary makes Jace happier than Izzy had ever hoped to see him. Clary is the reason they all met Magnus, and because of that Alec is in love and free to be himself. She got Simon, and that was so much more special than having every man's attention. They had saved the world together.

"On all these stupid mundane TV shows Simon watches, the doctors say patients in comas can hear when people talk to them. I'm not sure that's true or if this would even constitute as the same thing but here goes." Izzy perched on the side of Clary's bed and held her tiny hand in both of hers. "I never knew I wanted a sister until I had one. Gosh in so many ways Clary you have saved my family. We needed you, I think even more than you needed us." Izzy took a deep breath, trying to fight the overwhelming feeling that she was an idiot. "We still need you Fray. I don't know if Jace and Alec are going to come home, and if they do I have no idea what they are going to come home too. No matter what it's not good. We need you now more than ever Clary. Just wake up, please wake up." Isabelle had been whispering the whole time, trying to not wake Magnus who was lying oddly still in the bed across the room. Clary never even twitched. She lay there breathing but vacant. Isabelle was alone in this, they were going to have to win this battle on their own.

Magnus woke when the door clicked open. He had always been a very light sleeper and now that he wasn't feeling well it was ten times worse. Isabelle was making quite the effort to keep quiet though so Magnus kept up a charade, to let her have her moment.

"Squeeze back Clary." he heard Izzy mumble. So there had been no change in Clary then. Magnus was so hoping the Silent Brothers would have made some progress. Magnus heard Izzy's breathing hitch and he made a better effort to appear asleep.

"On all these stupid mundane TV shows Simon watches, the doctors say patients in comas can hear when people talk to them. I'm not sure that's true or if this would even constitute as the same thing but here goes. I never knew I wanted a sister until I had one. Gosh in so many ways Clary you have saved my family. We needed you, I think even more than you needed us." Izzy took a deep breath. "We still need you Fray. I don't know if Jace and Alec are going to come home, and if they do I have no idea what they are going to come home too. No matter what it's not good. We need you now more than ever Clary. Just wake up, please wake up."

Magnus blanched. Alec had left? Where did he go? Was he with Jace? What had Jace drug him into now? Magnus was very uninterested in staying fake asleep now. He needed answers. He opened his cat eyes and watched Izzy. She was perched on the redhead's bed, bent over her hands that were clasped around Clary's delicate one. It appeared that Isabelle may have been crying. Being the warrior she was though, it wasn't long before she looked up curiously with dry eyes. Magnus knew she could feel him staring at her.

"It's not nice to eavesdrop." She scolded.

"I wasn't eavesdropping you knew I was in here." He rebutted.

"You were supposed to be asleep." To that Magnus just shrugged. Izzy kissed Clary's hand lightly before placing it back on the bed carefully. Then she got up and walked silently to Magnus's bed. She perched on the side of his bed, the way she had Clary's.

"How are you feeling?" Isabelle asked with more care in her eyes than Magnus thought she had for him. She touched his forehead lightly with the back of her hand as if she were checking his temperature.

"You're still a bit warm." She said absentmindedly.

"Where did Alec go Isabelle?" He asked outright. She met his eyes with surprised alarm. Then her expression softened.

"He went to find Jace." she said.

"What were you talking about a minute ago? What do you mean you don't know if they're coming back?" Magnus was not in the mood to play word games and beat around the bush with isabelle. He loved Alec and all of his family, now anyway, but his priority always had been and always will be Alexander himself. Isabelle bit her lip nervously. When Magnus glared at Izzy, daring her to lie to him, she let out a gust of air. Her shoulder sagged and out of her mouth came an avalanche of information. She told him all about finding his magic on the hilt of the sword, and about finding Alec with Magnus cradled in his arms, distraught and broken. She told him how Jace showed up and stole the hilt and that when she told ALec this he had decided to go after Jace and help him with whatever crazy plan he had cooked up on his own. Then izzy told Magnus how she had tried to go but Alec told her to stay here and save Magnus and Clary's lives. Then she ended by telling him how strange Maryse had been about it all, how she seemed to know something was up, but played along instead.

"And I just don't know what Jace has planned and I don't know how dangerous it's going to be but Alec seemed pretty sure he wasn't going to be coming back and I'm terrified I'm never going to see my brothers again." Magnus put his hand to her mouth and brought her word vomit to an immediate stop. She had spoken so much without a breath that she was now struggling to catch her breath. "Jesus child." Magnus huffed with frustration. Izzy gave him an apologetic look around his hand.

"We have to do something." Magnus made a move to get out of bed. Izzy jumped up then and pushed him back down.

"Oh no you don't. Alec was very specific with what I am to do and I am not going to let him down by letting you get yourself killed because you are weak and arrogant and want to save the day. You are going to stay right here in bed, I don't care if I have to guard you myself." Magnus glared at his lover's sister. She couldn't be serious.

"Isabelle you have to let me go, Alec will get himself killed."

"And it will be for nothing if you die too!" Izzy hollered and shoved him harder onto the bed. Magnus was taken aback by her outburst and for a moment they both just stared at each other in mild shock.

"I'm sorry." Izzy squeaked out. Magnus waved her off and got comfortable in bed. He couldn't begrudge her will to do as her brother said. After all the Lightwoods were loyal, to each other, and to those they loved. Alec would die for Magnus if he thought that would help, and Izzy would keep Magnus here by any means necessary to be sure Alec's wishes were fulfilled. It would be a sad waste of his energy to try and fight her now. All he had to comfort himself with was the thought that the poison wouldn't allow him to live much longer, so if he lost Alexander, he wouldn't have to miss him for too long.

"I want to rest Isabelle." He said to her without meeting her eyes.

"I'll leave, but there will be a Silent Brother outside. Do you understand?" Magnus just nodded. He had no intention in trying to escape. He merely wanted to be left alone. Losing the mortals he loved was always the hardest part about his immortality. It had never gotten easier, not with time, not with experience. This would be no exception. He needed time to handle whatever grief was coming, and he wanted to do that alone. _I'm going to fix this. I promise._ Alec had whispered it to him as he had fallen asleep. He hadn't remembered it until now. He wished he had been awake enough to stop him. To pull him back to the bed and tell Alexander that the only thing Magnus wanted him to do was hold him. To stay there with him until the pain was all the way gone. He wished he could tell Alexander that all he needed was to feel his lips on his again, one more time so he could really cherish it. Magnus wished he could have told Alexander that he had already fixed him, he just didn't know it.


	13. Chapter 13

Simon's heart was pounding inside his chest like the drums of war. Jace had been very specific when telling him how to get into the faerie realm. He was to wait until the guard had come out and seized Jace, because they would, Jace assured him. Jace also assured him that they would send only one guard out to get him, because that's how the Seelies were. Then he would jump through the portal as it was closing behind them, silently, without even so much as breathing. When the time came Jace had been right about everything, as Simon was beginning to think he always was, and the single Seelie soldier bound Jace tightly, then turned him to walk back through the portal. Jace barely had time to catch Simon's eye in a silent signal that told Simon this was his chance. As the soldier and Jace disappeared through the invisible portal Simon burst through just in time, and he went falling through the air. He did his very best not to scream on the way down. By the time he reached the ground with a sickening thud, Jace and the soldier were already most of the way down the long, dirt pathed hallway he found himself in. He could just barely hear Jace talking animatedly, obviously trying to keep the guard distracted.

Steep hills that led down into eerie darkness lined the path he'd fallen onto. With a few seconds of hesitation, for his fear of the dark and the glaringly huge possibility that the hills could simply drop off and he would fall to his untimely death, he made his way off the path and found himself wandering through mysterious woods. They were dark and quiet, and void of any people. He tried to keep the path in sight, while keeping himself out of it, so that he wouldn't lose his way. He followed a few paces behind Jace and the guard holding him. Jace was laughing, presumably at himself. Jace was rambling, almost nervously to the guard, who Simon could see was beginning to move past irritated. Then Jace fell silent abruptly and from what little Simon could still see of the shadow hunter his body grew tense. Then a female voice rang out and Simon flinched as a memory began to tear its way through his mind.

"Jace Herondale. Why am I not surprised?" was what the woman's voice said. Simon though, was hearing something else.

 _The kiss that will set her free is the one she most desires._ Simon resisted the urge to holler as the memory seared white hot pain through his head. He could see Clary, standing with defiance and anger but also a lot of apprehension and fear. Jace was there too, looking about ready to murder someone. What Simon remembered most though, was the source of the melodic voice. He knew instantly she was the Queen. She had a sort of apparition-like form to her. Simon couldn't tell if she was 18 or 45, if she had red flaming hair, or sleek dark hair. Her image seemed to weave back and forth but never did she appear to be anything but beautiful. Beautiful and absolutely terrifying.

"I'm not lying. I have come alone. I am the only one who cared enough to seek you out this far."

"Why should I believe you Shadowhunter? You're people have long wanted me dead even before the rather unfortunate loss at the New York Institute." The Queen giggled like the death of shadowhunters and the near death of Clary was a joke.

"We didn't lose to you witch, you cheated."

"Yes, and so did you." She snapped back furiously. "As if it isn't enough for you to feel superior but now the Angel's actually speak to you?" There was a brief pause. "Oh yes. Word has gotten around about your little dreams. All the downworld knows."

"You managed to do what you came to do though." Jace said in a more defeated tone. Simon strained his ears as the Queen paused for a moment. His human ears were good for very little though. All he could hear besides silence was the ringing in his ears that happens in the silence.

"Did I now?" The Queen sounded delightfully curious. "And what exactly do you think I was trying to do?" She practically purred.

"You wanted Clary to die right?" Jace shot out defiantly. Simon had been listening to it all day so he could easily hear the strain of emotion in Jace's voice, even though he was putting on the tough soldier act for the Queen's benefit.

"Yes." She stated simply. Seelies can't lie, no point in trying. "So she is dead then?" The smile that danced around in her voice was sickening.

"Yeah. She's dead." Jace mumbled so quietly Simon almost didn't hear him. He almost thought he heard wrong, Clary wasn't dead, that's why they were here. He was playing the Queen, but Simon couldn't see how Clary's death tied into the plan at all. The Queen laughed, like a child who just pushed a kid down the slide on the playground. She was very 5th grade bully right now.

"My Lady, there is another one outside, I told you he did not come alone." This voice was very deep and very unfamiliar. Simon struggled to peer up the hill and see Jace's reaction to this news but he just couldn't see far enough without exposing himself.

"Hm. Well what are you waiting for? Meliorn, go fetch him."

"Would you like him brought here, My Lady?" Yet another voice asked.

"No. Take him to the cells. Gaven go with him pet, handle the intruder quickly. I have no interest in playing with any of them anymore. I will make quick work of this one and then we will have to move quickly, before the whole army shows up." All Simon could hear then was footsteps, many of them, and then total silence.

"I swear I didn't bring another shadowhunter with me." Jace finally spoke, this time with actual honesty wringing in his voice.

"You expect me to believe it is a coincidence that your Parabatai ended up here at the exact same time as you? You people are plagued by such a senseless thing such as dishonesty, What is the point in it? What does it get you?"

"What? It's Alec? I didn't bring him here. He must of followed me. I wouldn't have brought him, he's more important than my plan I wouldn't let him die for this." Jace's voice was louder than it had been before. He was practically shouting and for some odd reason Simon got the feeling it was because he wasn't really speaking to the Queen anymore, but to Simon. "Save him," Jace paused, not long, but long enough for it to resonate with Simon, "You're majesty." Then Jace let out a cringe worthy yell, a yell that said he had undoubtedly been hurt. Simon turned and ran as fast as he could on a slanted surface in a mystical wooded area, towards the sounds of voices now tearing through the silent air.

"The Queen said kill him Meliorn, what are we doing?"

"He's dying Gaven, don't be so distraught. We couldn't very well leave him out there for the mundanes to find now could we?" There was more silence, but Simon's heart was beating inside his chest so loud, there was no ringing this time. He had to save Alec. If it were true that he was dying, the breaking of the parabatai bond would kill a part of Jace as well, and Jace really needed to be at a hundred percent right now. How could he help though, what could he possibly do to help Alec now? He stood no chance against the Seelies soldiers.

"Relax" The one, Meliorn, said "take your men and prepare the rest of the guard for departure, as soon as the Queen is done with her toy we will leave." Simon was wracking his brain for any kind of answer, he hadn't even noticed the loud footsteps as the soldiers stomped away, and he especially didn't notice the light ones that approached the edge of the path, getting way too close for comfort.

"Mundy, you're heart is so loud you might as well be screaming." Simon gasped audibly and jumped nearly out of his skin as he looked up right into the eyes of a faerie soldier that he recalled from vague, veiled memorie. Meliorn.


	14. Chapter 14

Jace fought the urge to run at the Queen and tear her limb from limb. Her cackling and carrying on as if any of this were a game was bad enough, but now he knew she had Alec. Alec was never meant to die today. This was supposed to be his mission, and his alone. Jace wanted to watch her die a slow, painful death.

Most of the guard was gone now, there were only a couple soldiers standing by the Queen's side and the one who was restraining him. She was severely underprotected with Jace in this state.

"It must have been hard, losing your girlfriend like that." The Queen said with a mock poubt. _Clary_. Jace closed his eyes against the memories that poured into his brain. Clary smiling, laughing at Simon, Clary drawing as she stared out of the library window overlooking the city, Clary with her mouth open in ecstasy as he had his way with her, and finally her body falling, limp and lifeless to the floor. The Queen mistook his expression for grief, something that wasn't entirely wrong, but was wrong enough to sell his story. She laughed mercilessly at the obvious pain on his face.

"Fickle things, the human heart. How it yearns for another so forcefully it hurts. I pity the Nephilim for their mortal hearts. It is no wonder they lose so much." Jace listened to her gloat with his eyes still shut. He could imagine how easy it would be for him to prove her wrong right now. It would be nothing to break free of the hold of the soldier holding him. It would take him only seconds to jump to the side and break his neck. The two standing next to the Queen would charge and he would use their own weapons to penetrate their hearts until they too fell lifelessly to the ground. The Queen was no soldier, she would be no match for him alone. The room they had walked Jace into was large and open, but had only one open doorway. There would be no escaping him.

"Did she suffer much?" At this Jace's eyes snapped open to meet her odd childlike ones.

"No, but you will, I promise you." At this the Queen laughed joyfully.

"My brave shadowhunter, you are so much like your brother. It's endearing but stupid. You stand no chance against my army, alone and unarmed you couldn't even take these three." _That's what she thinks._ Jace smirked at her because he knew her arrogance was going to play right into his plan, assuming that his plan was still working at all. He hoped that Simon had understood earlier that he wanted the mundane to save Alec and abandon their plan, but on the off chance Simon didn't put two and two together he had to make sure he followed through, or all of this would be for nothing.

She began to walk towards Jace, something that he thought was really stupid of her. Her long, brown, strapless dress drug in the dirt behind her, and the soldiers followed after. Once the Queen was inches from him she peered into his golden eyes with her green ones. He held her gaze steadily and practiced slow breathing, so he wouldn't be tempted to reach out and take her life as easily as she would rob Clary of hers.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, serious and calm, unlike any attitude she had exhibited since he arrived.

"I came to get answers, I came to know what poison you have created, and I want to know how to fix it."

"Now why would you want to know that, if it is true that Clary is dead?"

"Call it morbid curiosity, masochism, call it whatever you want. I want to know what took the life of the only woman I've ever loved, and I want to know what could have saved her." The Queen cocked her head to the side and examined him closely. She pursed her lips like she was trying to decide something. Jace could hear his heart pounding in his chest as he began to doubt his plan for the first time.

"I don't believe you Shadowhunter. We may not be able to lie ourselves but we have become excellent at reading other people. You are lying. That girl is not dead." She straightened her head then and gave Jace a snotty smirk. "Yet." She added. Jace lost control for a second and moved to grab her. The hands around his arm locked him in a steel embrace, and the guards beside the Queen stepped in front of her. He slammed so hard against the hold of the soldier holding him it about knocked the guy off his feet. The two soldiers in front of him drew their arrows and pointed them dangerously close to Jace's face.

"Be careful Herondale, incase you want to meet the same fate as your dying lover." The Queen snapped from the safety behind her guards. "Their arrows are laced with the same poison, I will not hesitate to let them kill you."

"So why not let them do it huh? You know I lied, you know she's alive. There is nothing stopping you, why not kill me? KILL ME." His face was twisted in agony and anger, the expression passionate and truthful, to an extent. He was playing it up beautifully, because for once everything was going to plan.

"I don't want to kill you, yet." she stated like a petulant child. She wasn't done toying with him yet. "Aren't you having fun with me?" He imagined her batting her eyelashes at him, it made him want to be ill.

"No. I'm not. In a few hours the only thing I care about is going to be dead, and I don't want to live to see that happen. So tell me how to fix this, and I will grant your people leniency for the attack, or kill me and spend the rest of your existence outcasted and hunted, until every last one of you is dead." The soldiers stepped aside to reveal her small form. Jace wondered if it were possible for her to shift forms because he could swear she was getting smaller by the minute. She shook her head sadly.

"It is such a shame that he had to die and you got to live. He was much more…" She looked to the ceiling trying to find the right word. After a few seconds she sighed and smiled sadly. "He was just much more than you." Jace saw something then, in her eyes, reminiscent of grief. It was there for only a second, and then she expertly fixed her gaze. She was back to being cold and unshakable but she had been just a little too slow. Jace had seen the sadness in her eyes.

"You cared about him." Jace accused her.

"I don't have to care about anyone Shadowhunter. I am not plagued by your mortal feelings." She sounded confident but she didn't meet his eyes, and he knew Seelies couldn't lie, but he also knew she was wording everything as carefully as possible. Jace smirked. He had her.

"You don't have to, but you did didn't you? You fell for Sebastian." Then the Queen straightened her back, met his eyes with a cold, blank stare and simply stated "I did."

It was Jace's turn to laugh mercilessly. "And you say you pity us?" Jace barked another laugh, hoping each one hurt more than the next. "You are pathetic. Sebastian didn't love anyone or anything, he cared only about power. You were nothing but a means to an end for him. He played you and you, all mighty Seelie Queen, you fell for it." The Queen was seething by the time Jace had finished his ragging on her between bouts of giggles. Once Jace finally fell silent and sobered up the Queen got this defiant gleam in her eye.

"Your highness?" A guard peeked into the room then. Her eyes snapped from Jace to the intruder.

"What?"

"The court is ready for departure."

"Have you taken care of the other one?"

"Yes." The guard stated. Jace looked towards the guard. Meliorn stood in the doorway. He was purposefully not making eye contact with Jace. Jace stared at him in confusion, willing him to look at him. If it had truly been Alec out there, and he was truly dead, why had his rune not faded. Meliorn was lying, the way only a half Seelie like him could. Why though? Meliorn finally shot his eyes towards Jace but they held no answers, no emotions.

"Good. Boys, go ready yourselves for departure, Meliorn will stay here with me." As she spoke Meliorn replaced the soldier restraining Jace and the three in the room made their leave. Was she stupid Jace wondered. It would take Jace nothing to kill Meliorn and get to her. Once the room was empty except for Meliorn the Queen turned her cold gaze back on Jace.

"You came here wanting to know how to cure your precious Clary? You want to know how to save her Jace?" She paused for good measure. She knew his answer.

"The truth is, you don't. There is no magic cure for the poison I have created. It was made meticulous and by some of the most powerful demons I know. There has never been anything like it, and there is no cure. She will die, and so will Magnus Bane." Jace started. Magnus? What did Magnus have to do with anything?

"Magnus? What did you do to Magnus?" Jace asked furiously.

"I poisoned him, with the poison I made with his magic. Isn't it glorious?" She was back to giggling and Jace was really at a loss. He hadn't seen that one coming, and now he could picture why Alec had come after him. He had asked Alec to imagine it were Magnus dying, and it turned out he was the one dying, and the one pouring all of his remaining energy into trying to save Clary. Jace closed his eyes in pain for his brother.

"It took months to get some of my minions in and out of Magnus's presence undetected. The man is way smarter than he looks. That isn't saying much, but still I was impressed. I finally did get some of my people in and trusted enough that we began extracting samples of his magic with the help of my demon friends. We used that magic, my blood, and the demons blood to create a poison. I then sent my minions back in and they gave Magnus a very small amount of the poison. I needed to be sure it worked before I used it on Clary. In just a few hours I could see the effects starting. My poison is unlike anything you have encountered, it tears a person apart from the inside. Literally the components of their supernatural abilities are being ripped apart, separated, and then killed. Are you keeping up Shadowhunter?" The answer was no. Jace was completely lost. The Queen rolled her eyes.

"I'll give you an example. The warlock for instance is currently fighting a battle inside. The poison coursing through his veins is dividing his cells and killing off all the aspects of magic he posses. His warlock abilities, his warlock mark, and his immortality. Now how well do you think a several hundred year old warlock would fair without his immortality?" Jace's mouth dropped.

"He'll die." Jace hissed.

"Ding ding ding. You're getting the hang of this." The Queen smiled like she was genuinely happy for him. "My poison is harmless to mundanes. It only attacks the supernatural biological systems of the downworlders and the Nephilim. Without his immortality and magic, he will age and he will die. It will be slow, and probably painful, and very satisfying to watch. Clary is a little different though. She won't be dying of natural causes once she's stripped of her supernatural cells. Her body will reject the runes on her skin and she will become forsaken, in which case one of you will have to kill her." The Queen turned on her heel and began walking around the room slowly. She looked like a lioness stalking her prey as she slid around the room slowly, never taking her eyes off of him. Jace tried his best to follow her gaze, not trusting her for even a second.

"These things will happen. I specifically had no cure made. With Magnus incapacitated there is nothing you can do to stop it. "

Jace's eyes widened as the reality of the Queen's words sunk in. There was no stopping what was happening to Clary, and now Magnus. They were both going to die and Jace was going to die for nothing. Alec would be hurt, his family would be hurt, and nothing would get solved. Jace had been wrong, his plan had never been working, it was always doomed to fail, he had failed.

The Queens quiet gasp made Jace jump out of his reverie. He realized then that Meliorn no longer had a hold on his wrists. There was a blade against the Queen's now tense neck as she tried to keep her face relaxed. Jace felt his heart speed up with the prominent threat in the room. He looked for Meliorn but didn't see him anywhere.

"I suggest you start pulling strings and get a cure made then, because I will kill you if Magnus dies." Then Alec straightened up and caught Jace's eye over the Queen's head.

"Alec?" Jace asked with relief and confusion.

"You really think I'd let you ride off into the hypothetical sunset alone?" Alec asked with a quirky smile.

"How?" Jace began looking around the room again, waiting for this whole thing to crumble down around them. There was a loud crack and some rustling beyond the doorway. Jace tensed for battle and then Simon came stumbling, literally stumbling, through the door.

"Ah. Ow. Ugh." He mumbled as he righted himself. "Oh. Hey Jace." The mundane smiled his big cheesy smile. Jace sighed and relaxed his coiled muscles.

"What the hell is going on here?" Jace exclaimed, thoroughly confused.


	15. Chapter 15

**Hello All! Thank you for sticking with me thus far through the story! As I stated before this was originally just going to be a fluffy oneshot about Jace and Clary. It has taken on its own life though and I am really, really proud of what it has become. I have gotten some really grate reviews and feedback and I love getting them. I am so grateful to those of you who are my faithful reviewers! We are reaching the downhill slide of the story now, so I decided to just have a nice, moving chapter between Maryse and Magnus. I have always wondered how she felt about Magnus now that Malec seems to be permanent, and how she has come to feel about Clary, so I hope you enjoy this little moment! Dont forget to R &R! Seriously, the reviews are such great motivation so keep them up, they inspire me so much!**

* * *

Magnus sighed as he stared on at Clary, lying helplessly still. The Silent Brothers had returned a couple times in the last couple hours, but they seemed to have reached the end of their capabilities. Magnus remembered when Jocelyn had first brought Clary to his door. She had been such a little thing then. She had run a muck through his apartment as she grew, constantly chasing his cats, and tearing down his tapestries. Jocelyn would apologize profusely but he secretly didn't mind much. Clary had been the first human child he had ever watched grow up from such a young age. Magnus had had many young downworlders under his wing, he had raised many warlock children who had been abandoned and left for dead. Clary had been for all intents and purposed human though. She aged like a human, and because of his magic, thought like a human. That did little to hinder how special she was though. Watching her grow into the young woman who had waltzed in and demanded her memories back had been one of the highlights of the Warlock's long, long life. She was his biscuit, and she had been so lost in the world, all the way up until the day she and her friends saved it. Magnus had never known anyone or anything as strong as Clary, and watching her slowly fading away was hard for him.

He knew that time was ticking on him as well. He could feel something happening beneath the surface, something cold and hard and malicious flowing through his veins. He had thought he was just coming down with something. It hadn't occurred to him that he had not had a mundane illness, well ever. He should have known he was not well. He should have known there were untrustworthy people around him. However this happened to him, it was his carelessness that allowed it to come to be.

"Hey." Magnus turned his head to meet Maryse's eyes at the door.

"Maryse. Come in." Magnus gestured feebly for her to enter. Things weren't amazing between his boyfriend's mother and him, but they had a mutual respect for one another. Magnus was perplexed though, as the Lightwood's mother pulled a chair to his bedside and looked at him with an emotion akin to grief. Alec flashed through his mind and fear shot through his body like a second wind.

"What's going on?" he asked frantically. Maryse quickly put a hand on the warlocks shoulder and shook her head.

"Nothing. Nothing's happened." her voice was pitched low and quiet, but immediately MAgnus began to calm down. His heart returned to a normal pace, and his body was once again shaking with exhaustion.

"How are you feeling?" Maryse asked as she took her seat again. She kept her hand on his though, a gesture that Magnus did not fail to notice.

"I feel like I am dying Maryse. My body is tired and feeble, my brain is moving slowly. Breathing hurts. I don't know what's happening to me." Magnus said truthfully, finding it hard to keep up his steely exterior. Maryse pursed her lips as she battled some internal battle with her emotions.

"I don't know what it is either." Maryse looked away from Magnus for the first time to glance over at Clary's still form. "I fear for my sons." Maryse mumbled, almost to herself. MAgnus wondered if he should comment, or allow her the introspective moment. While he was deliberating Maryse looked back towards him and smiled sadly.

"My god, all the times in my life that I have said those exact words. Jace and Alec have never made it easy on me, being their mother." a small laugh fell out of her lips and she regarded Magnus fondly for a moment.

"When Alec came out and kissed you, in front of all those people the way he did, I could have just died right then. Not because of any personal bias I had, not to say I didn't have them because in the beginning I wasn't very understanding, but I was upset in that moment because I knew what everyone else was thinking. I feared that Alec would spend the rest of his life at one end of ridicule or another and I never wanted a life like that for my son." Maryse's eyes were far away as she spoke, as if she were reliving the moment again. Magnus was seeing it again too. The hall full of people, the way Alexander's lips had felt on his. The audible gasp from the other shadowhunters. He had had a lot of the same fears for his shadowhunter lover in that moment. Magnus would have lived in secret forever to protect him from the kind of life Maryse spoke of now.

"It took me a long time to realize how much happier he was this way, and even longer to accept you as the reason for that. All I had ever wanted was to give my kids the kind of life I never had, and then you waltz in, all glitter and spiked hair, and you gave him what I never would have. You gave him strength to recognize what he wanted and who he was, you gave him the confidence to wear that proudly instead of suppressing it and living in secret, and you gave him an unconditional kind of love that I am only just now learning." Maryse gripped the warlock's hand and met his cat eyes. There were tears there and her breathing was irregular. Then she took a steadying breath and looked back towards Clary.

"I feel similarly about Clary. Jace, from the moment he came to us, was resigned, cool, hard to reach. He had his bond with Alec, and he loved all of us in his own way, but in walks this mundane raggle muffin off the streets and suddenly he is everything I ever wanted him to be." Tears now slipped down her face. Magnus looked to Clary too, allowing Maryse privacy with her own emotions. Clary's chest rose and fell evenly, peacefully. You could believe she was sleeping.

"The first time she came here she was laying just like that, in one of these beds, fighting off poison that threatened her life." Magnus stated into the silence. Maryse nodded, Magnus could see it in his peripheral vision.

"I know. Jace had been confident she was a shadowhunter, and we were all so furious with him." Maryse laughed and shook her head like a loving mother.

"He always knew when it came to her. He always knew what she was, what she needed, what the right call was, and he always knew that he loved her. Even if he didn't want to admit it, even when they thought they were siblings. Though I could see the positive changes in Jace because of her, all the turmoil she brought to his life scared me. After learning that he wasn't Valentine's son I remember laying in bed one night thinking, 'Valentine's daughter is going to get my son killed.'" More tears slipped down the older shadowhunters cheeks. Magnus looked to her then. Why was she telling him all of this, he wondered.

"I was wrong about you, and I was wrong about her. I was wrong about my own children. I know all of that now but I am still afraid for them. I know they have both gone to meet with the Seelie Queen." Maryse all but whispered the last sentence. Magnus blanched, his cat eyes widening at her confession. MAryse allowed herself a quiet chuckle at his expression.

"C'mon Magnus. My children are brilliant warriors but they can't lie to save their lives." magnus blinked a few times in disbelief at her cool manner. Isabelle had said she expected Maryse knew but Magnus thought for sure that couldn't be right. Mayse would have never allowed them to break the rules, or to risk themselves like that.

"Why did you let it happen then?" Magnus voiced his disbelief.

"How could I have stopped them. Jace and Alec see their entire lives in the eyes of the two people lying sick in this room. If I forced them to sit around and do nothing but watch as their greatest loves get sicker and die, they would never forgive me. Love is a powerful emotion, one even shadowhunters cannot suppress. It drives us to do extraordinary things, and it drives us to our deaths. That is the life of a warrior though, always on the brink of death, having to be at peace with the idea that tomorrow may never come. Love is the only thing that makes that sacrifice worthwhile." The tears were openly flowing down Maryse's face now, and Magnus's as well. It was becoming alarmingly clear that no one believed Alec and Jace would make it home. Which meant Jace and Alec could already be dead, and in due time, he and Clary would be too. There sure seemed to be little hope for any of them now.

"I don't want to die Maryse." Magnus whispered in a broken, heart aching voice.

"I do not want you to die either Magnus." She replied quietly. She held the warlock's ring clad hand tightly between her own. She sat with him as he began to fall back into a peaceful sleep.


	16. Chapter 16

"What is going on around here?"

Simon smiled at Jace triumphantly. He was looking at him with a familiar 'I want to kill you mundane' look. Simon couldn't help the smug look on his face, though he had done very little. It was just the first time he had felt remotely safe since they came into the Seelie realm and this plan felt way more sound than the one Jace had come up with.

"Mundy, you didn't do anything. Stop smiling." Meliorn was walking back into the room, right behind Simon. Simon's smile finally faltered and he glared at the Faerie Knight. Jace's eyes widened and he struggled against the restraints around his wrists. Meliorn jumped a little like he had just remembered something. He moved behind the bound shadowhunter and cut the bounds, officially releasing him from his restraints. The queen cleared her throat then.

"I am with the blonde one. Meliorn what the hell is going on here?" Alec tightened the blade against her neck. Simon cringed because it looked like the blade may be biting into her skin a little. Jace looked back to Alec. Meliorn moved to stand in front of his Queen and Simon moved to stand beside Jace.

"I did everything for you. I did everything you and that creature asked of me. I was always there for you, By your side for centuries, and I loved you. I was never enough for you though. I wasn't bothered so much by this, because I began to think you were just incapable of feelings at all. Then the creature sebastian was killed and I realized that you had loved him all along." Meliorn was right in the Queen's face now. He was speaking in a low voice, meant for just her, though the whole room could hear him. She held his gaze steadily, with cool, unaffected eyes.

"Then I became angry. That horrible, awful, thing who only ever cared for himself and his petulant sister was worthy of your affection, but I, your loyal, brave, and unwavering soldier never was? Bullshit." Simon gaped openly. Simon had never heard a Sellie swear before, but they made it sound like music.

"But here is the thing, someone did care about me once. A shadowhunter, who perhaps was a bit clingy, but was sweet and genuine at heart. Something you will never be. She had cared and you gave me specifically the order to kill her when we raided the institute. I decided then that I would do just as you have always done, my Queen, our whole existence. I decided to side with the winning team, and as you can now see, that is not yours." There was a wickedly evil smile on Meliorn's face. Simon believed that this was reminiscent to the face his used to be vampire brothers made when they were hungry. Meliorn was out for blood tonight.

"Meliorn you are a fool. We had them, we could have won." The Queen struggled against the bade. Simon noted that was a bold move as some blood began to trickle down her neck from where the sword was cutting into it.

"No. You are the fool. _We_ could have had it all." With that the Faerie Knight stepped away from the trapped Queen. He backed slowly towards the doorway to the room.

"The guard has already left. I told them the Queen sent strict orders to go and prepare the next spot for our arrival. I told them I would escort her there. The soldiers are loyal, and did as they were told. You all are alone here. I wish I could help you find the answers you seek, but I do not know them. You may do with her what you like. Please extend my apologies to Isabelle, she needs to know I would have never hurt her." Simon saw Jace's mouth drop open in disbelief as Meliorn fled from the room, leaving the shadowhunters and Simon alone with the Queen. Simon looked at Jace proudly. "Your plan was pretty great Jace, but uh, I made a few tweaks and now it's freaking awesome!" Simon's smile was big and goofy. Jace glared at him in a mirror look that Alec was giving him over the Queen's head.

"Shut up." The parabatai said in unison.

"That was so cool." Simon muttered, winning another parabatai glare, at which he laughed.

"Okay, like I was saying. I will kill you if you don't find a way to fix this." Alec said, now addressing the Queen. Meliorn had been able to do some kind of Seelie magic that healed him enough to use an Iratze to heal himself, but Alec was still pretty weak. He had been shot a couple times through the chest with some arrows, and suffered a couple blows to the head. He had been all but dead when Meliorn's magic had brought him to. The rune was working in healing him, and he had the strength to hold the Seelie sword that Meliorn had given him, though it was harder than he was letting on.

"Agreed. Start talking." Jace piped in, finally finding his voice again. Alec knew it was hard for Jace to not be the conquering hero, so it had taken him some time to recalibrate to the new plan, which was basically force the Queen to fix her mess, then kill her for making one.

"I already told you there is no cure." The Queen said rather desperately.

"Yeah but you also said that because Magnus was incapacitated that there was no way to help Clary. What is that supposed to mean? That Magnus could help her if he was okay?" Jace asked.

The Queen looked around her the best she could. Usually gloating, uninhibited, and carefree, the Queen was suddenly very cooperative when she was standing alone.

"He could help her yes, if he were healthy but he is not. He is the only one who could help her, though he could not help himself." Alec roared quietly in the Seelie Queen's ear.

"No riddles!" He hollered, digging the blade into her skin, making a delicate cut across the skin there. She gasped in pain.

"Magnus's magic is all that is making the poison active. Without it it would just be a mixture of half Angel blood and Demon blood. The Demon's blood may be enough to poison Clary but it could be easily fixed. It is the warlock's magic that fuels its ability to do what it is doing."

"So Magnus could do something to deactivate the magic and render the poison all but harmless?" Jace asked calmly. Alec thought he may be a little shell shocked. Alec was far from calm, Alec was furious. None of what she was saying right now mattered because this is all just what if, if Magnus were healthy, but he isn't. Magnus was dying too, and she had already stated he couldn't help himself.

"So how do we fix Magnus?" Alec asked impatiently when the Queen didn't answer Jace.

"I could talk a little better without this blade in my throat." She snapped. Alec loosened a fraction of his hold but stated "You seem to be talking just fine."

"Magnus could remove his magic from the girl's system with a simple spell, I am sure he has the means to find. For him however, it is likely he will not survive this. He cannot simply remove his magic from the poison in his own veins because his magic pumps through those same veins. He would have to remove all the magic flowing through him to stop the poison, something that may very well kill him anyway."

"Alec." Jace warned as he saw and felt the desperation building in his parabatai. Jace knew Alec was seconds away from taking the Queen's head off. He didn't blame his brother, but time was wasting, and there was still more information to be learned from the Queen. Alec met his brothers eyes frantically, warning him that he was losing the will to wait.

"You said it may kill him. Does that mean there is a chance it won't?" Jace asked quickly, racing his brothers impatience. With a quick defeated look, the Queen sighed and gave a wicked smile. Resigning herself to go down as the wicked witch of the west, if she was to go down at all.

"Perhaps I was wrong about you Jace Herondale, maybe Sebastian wasn't all that much more than you. You are very keen on how we communicate."

"I have had some practice, now answer the question."

"I have heard through the centuries that there are ways to drain a warlock's magic, temporarily, and preserve the Warlock. I heard it was done in the past to protect Warlocks who were hunted for their magic. I do not know them however or how they work. So you could save him, but there is never a guarantee that he will pull through, just chance. And unfortunately for you lot, you are quickly running out of time."

"Jace." Alec hissed over the Queen's head. Jace met his parabatais blue eyes with understanding. The need to save the ones they loved was not only something they each felt, but something they were sharing through their bond. The need, fear, and desperation was building to unmanageable levels.

"I know Alec. I know. One more question, and then we will go." Jace turned abruptly then as something occurred to him. Alec and Jace were going to kill the Queen tonight. They had to, and that was something a mundane like Simon definitely didn't need to see.

"Simon." Jace grabbed Simon's shoulders and faced the mundane. Simon met his eyes seriously, all business. "Simon, you need to go back to the institute now. Find Isabelle and Magnus and tell them what we have learned. We will be right behind you. Do you remember the way I told you to get out?" Jace hoped he did. Simon nodded once.

"I want to stay though, I thought we would all leave together now, how do I know Izzy will even be there, can I even be in there with the cla-"

"SIMON. Please. We don't have a lot of time. We have to, urm, finish things here. You need to get the information back to the institute so that they will know what to do. Please Simon, help me help them." Simon thankfully, finally noded. Without a single more word Simon turned and stalked past the doorway. If he played his cards right he would be back at the institute in an hour, maybe less.

"As for you." Jace said turning back towards the Queen. "Do you know anyone who would know about such procedures?" Jace asked, reverting back to the conversation about the Warlock's magic. The Queen chuckled. It was a sad, defeated sound. It almost made Jace feel sorry for her. Almost.

"A warlock by the name of Regina. She is from Kansas, she is the one who told me of such things. She may know something." The Queen stated in a final tone. She knew there would be no more questions. She had given them everything they needed. They would make quick work of her now.

Jace, now over his initial anger about what has happened to Clary, gave Alec the opportunity to free himself of his. He looked up to his usually peaceful brother and gave the slightest of nods. Then in a move so uncharacteristic of Alec, he pulled the blade tight and rough to one side. The Queen fell, gurgling and gasping for air, as the life drained out of her. Alec's eyes were full of tears and Jace could feel his turmoil festering through their bond. They needed to head back, and they needed to do it now.

"C'mon buddy. Let's go save Magnus and Clary." Alec was staring hauntingly down at the Queen, but at the mention of Magnus's name, he looked up into Jace's caring golden eyes, and nodded.

"Okay." Alec said.


	17. Chapter 17

Izzy was in the training room blowing off some steam when she heard the commotion from the hall. She immediately wound her whip around her wrist again and listened intently.

"Simon, I understand but you can't just barge in there like this. It is not a place for mundanes." Maryse was saying sternly.

"Maryse I need to see Izzy now. It is important."

"I don't care how important it is Simon, you need to wait. Izzy is-"

"Jace and Alec sent me okay?" Izzy blinked a few times as this information seemed to reignite the fire in her bones. She rushed over to the door, not nearly as concerned as she'd usually be of her less than presentable appearance. She threw the door of the training room aside to see a startled Simon and Maryse.

"It's okay mom." Izzy gave her mother a stern look that she hoped said that she could trust them. Maryse blanched but quickly composed herself and nodded, back to being strictly business. Izzy reached for Simon's hand, barely able to ignore the shot of electricity the contact sent through her. Simon hesitated for a moment though.

"Actually Maryse, you should hear this too." Simon interjected. Izzy furrowed her brow, but then Simon gave her a look that was so genuine and trusting. She looked to Maryse to find the same confused look on her mother's face.

"I know you already know mom, so c'mon on." Izzy then grabbed her mother's wrist too and pulled her boyfriend and her mother into the training room, locking the door tight behind them.

Once inside Simon began to pace. Maryse and Izzy watched him patiently though they were swapping looks of worry in the meantime. Simon was stuttering and tripping over his words so much that it began to grate on Izzy's nerves. Her brothers needed them, and Simon needed to just spit it out. Izzy sighed and reached for Simon. She held him by his shoulders and faced him with a steady stare. He attempted to hold her gaze, but she didn't miss the way his eyes flicked down a couple times to take in her crop top plastered to her body with sweat.

"Simon. What happened?" She spoke in a low and calm voice. She wanted so desperately for Simon to be comfortable around her and her world, the way he once was. She missed how at ease he had become once he was actually apart of this world. Izzy knew that Simon was still Simon, she still loved him the same, if not more than ever. It was just frustrating to be the only one in the relationship who could remember there was a before to compare too. Simon took a deep breath. His eyes seemed to unfocus for a minute, and then ever so slowly he reached out and touched her cheek. It was a light touch of his finger tips, almost too soft to feel.

"I am so glad you are okay." He muttered, just for the two of them to hear. Izzy felt her cheeks grow warm and couldn't help the involuntary smile his attention pulled from her. Then he seemed to snap back into reality and he pulled away from her. Then he addressed Maryse and Izzy both as he began to tell the whole story. He started with being woken up by a frantic Jace, and all the things Jace had told him. The story came rushing out of his mouth so fast he hardly took a breath. Izzy and her mother listened intently and with mild horror as they went through the emotions again with Simon. Once Simon got to the part where Jace sent him away Izzy and Maryse regarded each other with apprehension. Izzy could tell by her mother's eyes that getting around the clave for this one was not going to be easy. They weren't going to be happy about what Jace and Alec have done, and they weren't going to be keen on the idea of involving another warlock and a risky spell that may kill the High Warlock of Brooklyn. Izzy was trying to convey to her mother that they had no choice though, that saving Magnus and Clary had to become priority now, for Jace and Alec. Silently, without saying a word, the women realized that they each had a mission to fulfill. Maryse had to go talk to the soldiers of the clave, and tell them what her sons had done. And Izzy, Izzy had to take care of Simon, and try to get ahold of this Regina in anyway she could.

"I don't know what to do now. I don't even know if they are okay. For all we know Meliorn could have been lying about the Faerie army. What if they aren't coming? What if they're dead?" Simon's voice was edging up a few octaves. Izzy shook her head and grabbed his hand yet again.

"They aren't dead Simon. They will be here, and we gotta be ready for them. Come with me okay?" She added the last part in sweet, flirty tone in hopes to calm Simon's erratic nerves. For the most part it seemed to work and he followed loyally out of the training room, and Maryse followed behind him. Once through the door the women went their separate ways to accomplish their separate tasks and do all they could to put their tattered family back together again.

When Jace walked through the doors of the institute he wasn't really sure what to expect. He knew Simon had arrived first, so he was prepared to explain himself if need be. The clave couldn't be too happy about this impromptu trip that resulted in the death of a downworlder and involvement of a mundane. He wasn't sure if they would make a big fuss about it though, because of what the Seelie's had just done to them. What he wasn't expecting was to nearly run headlong into his mother. She had perched right outside the elevator door like Church usually did. He went to walk purposefully out of the elevator and had to jump back to not hit Maryse. Alec skidded into him because he wasn't prepared for the sudden stop either.

"Alec, go find your sister. She needs your help." Maryse said sternly to Alec. Alec looked at JAce as if to ask what the hell was going on. Jace just shrugged at his brother. He hadn't been expecting this. Alec nodded in confusion and took off down the hall. Maryse turned her icy stare on Jace and Jace readied himself for the blow up. In a move to quick for Jace to keep up with Maryse had wrapped her arms around Jace and pulled him tight against her.

"Don't EVER scare me like that again. Do you understand me? I know how much she means to you son, and I would have helped you get her back, no matter what we had to do. Don't ever think that your only option is to go down all alone in a fit of glory. All the glory you will ever need is in this institute, and we need you here. Okay?" Jace was holding back tears as he hugged his adoptive mother tightly. He had come so close to never coming home tonight. He had been so wrapped up in needing to help Clary he hadn't even thought about what would happen to the rest of them, once he was gone. Jace knew his family loved him, and he loved them, with everything he had. He had honestly felt that his only option was to go in alone, just like when he felt that leaving and fighting Valentine on his own was his only option. He had been wrong then and he was wrong this time too.

"I'm so sorry mom." Jace whispered into Maryse's ear. She shook her head and patted his hair. When she drew back there were tears in her eyes.

"You're safe now. That's what matters." After a while of taking each other in and regaining control of their emotions, Jace sighed heavily.

"Did Simon make it back here?" Jace asked, hoping to find out if they knew anything. Maryse nodded.

"I talked to the clave and they know what you and Alec have done. Due to the recent uprising by the Seelie Court they have decided to overlook the unsanctioned execution of the queen. You will however have some legalities to face once this is all over about stealing the hilt and going rogue." Maryse was glaring up at her son, but the look wasn't too serious so Jace assumed he couldn't be in too much trouble. Jace gave her an irresistible smirk and she relinquished her act by laughing. As she sobered up Jace grew serious.

"And about the warlock from Kansas, Regina? Were you able to find her?"

"Izzy got into contact with her. That's why I sent Alec to her right away. They are both being sent to retrieve her and whatever she may need to help Magnus. The sooner the better, if what the Queen said was true, the poison has been flowing through Magnus's veins longer than Clary's so it can only be assumed that he has less time than even she does." The color drained from Jace's face as this concept began to sink in. He hadn't even thought of the fact that Magnus had been administered the poison first. His mind was so lost in saving Clary. Alec had told him on the way back to the institute that Magnus was still conscious, so he had assumed that Magnus was better off.

"Hey." Maryse reached up and touched her sons worried face. He turned his turmoil filled golden eyes on her. "We are going to figure this out. We will save both of them." Jace wasn't sure how she seemed so confident. They weren't even sure this Regina could do what the Queen spoke of, and even if she could, they weren't sure the spell would actually work in keeping Magnus alive. There was a whole lot of uncertainty wrapped up in this plan. Maryse watched as Jace struggled and then began losing this internal battle with himself.

"Why don't you go get some sleep Jace. You haven't slept much at all in weeks. I will have Alec wake you up as soon as he gets back." Jace immediately began shaking his head.

"No. I should go be with Clary, see if anything has changed, see if she is okay." Jace turned to leave and head for the infirmary but Maryse caught his wrist and spun him back around.

"Clary's condition hasn't changed. Simon is with her now, and he doesn't really understand any of this anymore so you should give him his time. Trust me if anything changes with her, you will be the first to know, but you will be no help to her exhausted." Jace opened his mouth to protest again but was cut off by his mom.

"I am not suggesting son, I am telling. Do not step foot into that infirmary until Alec and Izzy get back, do you understand me?" Jace glared at her. He hated when she used her motherly tone on him. He was a grown man, she couldn't boss him around. He was getting ready to say just that when she arched her eyebrow at him, daring him to utter the words. Knowing that his protests would just lead to a guard being stationed at Clary's door with orders to keep him out, he sighed in defeat.

"Fine." Jace stalked off to the quiet of his bedroom. He had not been inside his bedroom since the morning he and Clary sat up talking about his dreams. The room was exactly as they had left it, way messier than he would have had he been alone. The bed was left unmade, and the shirt of his that Clary had been sleeping in was on the floor. Jace walked up to it slowly, like it was a bomb that may explode. He picked it up gently with his fingers and brought the garment to his nose. Clary's scent filled his senses and tears of longing sprang to his eyes. When he could take no more he stripped out of his gear, leaving only boxers on and then curled up in their bed with the shirt. He pretended that the scent coming off of it was coming from her and tried to clear his mind of any impending future without his girl. Exhaustion soon outweighed grief, and quicker than he thought he would, he found himself falling into a deep, dreamless sleep.


	18. Chapter 18

Magnus stirred when he heard what he thought was sniffling. Being that he was in an infirmary the idea shouldn't have been as odd as he thought, but it struck him as weird anyway. The only other person in this room should have been Clary, who hadn't so much as breathed loudly in almost two days. Magnus drug his tired eyes open and pulled his head to the side. Next to Clary sat a young man. His hair was brown and wavy, and he wore an oversized hoodie and blue jeans. His hands were wrapped around Clary's intimately, and as Magnus suspected, the sniffling was coming from him. Magnus knew this boy, he would recognize the nerdy mundane anywhere. The poor Simon Lewis, who had been through too much already for being so young. He sat beside his used to be best friend and seemed to be crying over her unconscious body.

"Simon?" Magnus managed a mumble. Simon jumped slightly. He quickly wiped his eyes and turned to look at the Warlock.

"Hey Magnus. How are you feeling?" He attempted to sound as cheery as always, but Magnus could still see the tears in his eyes.

"I'm tired, but I am okay. How are you?" Magnus was looking at him with all the sincere sympathy he had to try and make the boy open up.

"Me? Oh. I'm fine. It's just, It's just weird you know? Seeing her like this." He looked hauntingly back at the redhead for a few seconds and shuttered slightly. Magnus nodded knowingly.

"Hm. Indeed it is. One so full of life should not lay so still." Magnus commented. Simon looked down at his feet.

"I uh, I was remembering some more, I get more and more memories as the days pass. Seeing her lying here like this, it reminded me of a night I had laid in bed next to her watching her sleep. It was an innocent thing, we couldn't have been more than ten. She had fallen asleep watching TV with me and I was so fascinated by how peaceful and still she was. Clary was never still, she was always moving, always working an angle." Simon smiled to himself as he recalled the memory out loud. Magnus could picture Clary at ten years old, so fascinated by the world around her. At that age she would have been approaching the age Shadowhunters get their first runes so her instincts would have been super high. Simon continued with a wistful look in his eye. "She had always seen the world so differently. I used to think it was because she was an artist, and maybe some of it is that, but I think now that it was her shadowhunter blood coming through. I think it made her crave movement and adventure you know?" Magnus nodded, though he didn't have to. Simon was exactly right, and the mundane knew it. He turned sadly to Clary and took her hand again. He continued to speak but he no longer looked to the Warlock beside him. "She was born to be this person, to be wild, and strong. She was born to be a fighter. I used to be so jealous of how easily she just conformed to this world, how well she fit in. I wish I could take it all back now, now that I know it is that very thing that is killing her." At the Magnus perked up in his bed. His eyes widened and his breath caught in his throat.

"What did you say? Simon, do you know what is happening to her?" Magnus asked in a stern voice that demanded immediate attention. Simon turned with a guilty look on his face. His mouth was open and ready to fire the whole story at the warlock when the door to the room burst open. Magnus jumped and whirled his head around to see who had so rudely barged into a quiet healing place. The first person he saw was Jace. His eyes were fixed on Clary and they would find no other destination. He went straight to her, moving past Simon to sit on her other side and take the hand not currently in Simon's.

"Jace." Magnus gasped. Magnus had to admit that even he was beginning to think Jace would not make it home. He had subconsciously already prepared himself to mourn both him and Clary. It was sort of shocking to see the blonde shadowhunter sitting there as if he hadn't took off on a suicide mission. Jace's eyes locked with Magnus's in a silent greeting, but they didn't hold long. He seemed physically unable to keep his eyes off of Clary for more than a few seconds. Then something dawned on Magnus. If Jace was back, Alec had to be back too.

"Where is-" Magnus began.

"Magnus." Alec stood in the doorway. At the sound of his voice Magnus looked to him and he released a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. Alec smiled, a small shy smile. He was wearing his shadowhunter gear, all black and leather. His gloves had blood on them and there were holes in his shirt where he had obviously been cut, though the wounds were long healed. He looked like a dream. Magnus smiled widely back, feeling more energy than he had felt in hours. Alec strided over to his boyfriend and took the Warlocks hand, the way Jace had done Clary's. Also like Jace, Alec seemed physically unable to remove his beautiful blue eyes from Magnus's. Magnus enjoyed the moment for a little longer, before finally convincing himself that Alec was okay enough to be angry at.

"Alexander. I specifically told you, you could not fix this for me and had you been killed tonight I would have never forgiven myself. Don't you ever do something that wreckless ever again! Ever." He didn't have quite enough energy to yell, but the tone was present and just as effective. Except Alec continued to just smile. He brought Magnus's hand up to his perfect lips and kissed them tenderly.

"Forgive me?" He muttered. Magnus tried to glare at Alec, he really tried. But he was looking at him with so much love and his damn smile was so unwavering. Magnus rolled his cat eyes.

"If you kiss me, I'll think about it." Magnus pouted. With a quiet chuckle Alec leaned in and enveloped Magnus's lips with his. The kiss had been sweet at first and then grew hungry. Magnus wrapped his hands around the back of Alec's neck to pull the shadowhunter's face closer to his. Alec knotted his fists in the sweat covered shirt Magnus had on. Alec tasted like sweat and desperation and love. Magnus could feel in the kiss all the emotions Alec kept hidden under the smile. He was scared, hurt, traumatized, and angry. Magnus tried to pour all the love from his heart into the kiss to try and combat the awful feeling reverberating off of his lover. Alec licked his lip ever so slightly and Magnus immediately granted him access. Their tongues caressed each other in a familiar dance, one Alec usually only allowed to happen within the privacy of their own bedroom.

On the other side of the room Magnus heard someone clear their throat. Alec sighed lightly and the reluctantly pulled away. He gave Simon a sideways look full of scorn. This prompted a laugh from the weak warlock. Magnus scooted over in his bed and patted the empty side for Alec. Alec quickly sat and pulled his lover into his arms. Magnus rested his head on Alec's shoulder softly, and quickly grew tired enough to want to sleep again. As Magnus began to drift, he felt Alec take his hand.

"Take some Magnus, you're going to need to stay awake for this." Alec's lips were right at the warlock's ear and it sent chills down his spine. Magnus was tired and didn't really want to stay awake, but for his Alexander, he'd do anything. So he took the shadowhunters hand and focused on pulling energy from him.


	19. Chapter 19

**Hi Guys! I am so sorry it has been this long since I updated! I've been so sad not being able to write for you guys, I am getting anxious to get to the end of this story. I have been so busy with school, and I still am. I wanted this chapter to be much longer but I have several more papers to write for school, so this writing has had to take a back seat. I wanted to share something with you all though, instead of leaving you with nothing while I finish my school papers. So I apologize that this chapter is short, and I apologize ahead of time because it will probably be a little while until I update again after this. Hang in there, I will return and finish this story! until then I hope you enjoy this chapter! Please continue to R &R, the reviews really are my inspiration!**

* * *

Jace held Clary's hand tight in his own. Her hand was cold and lifeless. He tried to stay aware of the things happening in the room but he couldn't pull his attention away from Clary. She looked pretty much the same, he thought, to everyone else in the room, but Jace could see differences. Jace could see the dark circles forming under her eyes, the sickly pale tone her already pale skin had taken on, he could see the vibrancy diminishing in her hair color. She was dying.

Jace's heart was pounding loudly in his chest. While Alec was talking to Magnus he heard very little of their conversation. He touched Clary's face lightly with his fingertips, hoping to stir a response by his touch. He let his mind wander to a night not so long ago when he had woken her up like this.

 _The soft morning light was spilling through the cracks in the closed curtains, illuminating the room just enough for Jace to see clearly without activating his runes. Clary was still, sleeping soundly, beside him, with her back tucked into his side. Her face was relaxed and her mouth was slightly agape. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Her hair was a fiery mess that cascaded around not just her pillow, but spilled onto his as well. He chuckled as he pushed some of it away as gently as he could. At the movement Clary stirred a little and turned so she was facing Jace. He chuckled again at the slight furrow of her brow, as if she was confused by her dream. He touched her face very lightly with his fingertips. He ran them from her brow line to her jaw and whispered "Clary." Jace left his fingers resting on her face. She didn't move at first, but then she slowly moved closer to him until her arms were wrapped around his midsection. Her mouth was now closed and upturned into a tiny smile. Jace smiled and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against him tightly. She sighed happily. "Time to wake up." Jace mumbled quietly into her ear. He added a kiss there and was rewarded by a giggle. "No. Five more minutes." Clary managed between giggles._

"Jace. _Jace_." Simon hissed. Jace's attention snapped back to the present. Alec, Magnus, and Simon were all watching him with confused eyes. His hand was still resting on Clary's face. "What?" Jace asked, finally letting his hand fall back to his side.

"Alec was telling us about Regina. He said that she would be ready any minute now to start the ritual on Magnus. We have to go." Simon informed him.

"What about Clary?" Jace directed the question at Alec. Alec sighed.

"She will stay here, but Regina doesn't want extra bodies in here. I'm staying so you two have to go." Alec said. Jace furrowed his brow.

"What is this warlock going to do to Magnus anyway." It was Magnus's turn to sigh then. His weak head rolled on the pillow so he could face Jace instead of Alec.

"I've heard of stuff like this before, though I've never dared to try it. Back in the 1690s when people were hunting the "witches" of salem there were people out there who were aware of the existence of actual warlocks. Those people began blackmailing warlocks to do their bidding, and if the warlocks didn't comply the people would threaten to reveal their existence, condemning all to death or at least a life in hiding. Eventually the warlocks grew tired of such things, but the accords kept them from killing any of the humans so they began experimenting on themselves. It was rumored that eventually a warlock from Virginia found a way to preserve the body and essence of a warlock and drain him completely of his magic. Such a thing would render a warlock pretty much lifeless, without our magic there is nothing keeping us from aging, contracting diseases, and dying." Magnus paused a moment to take an unsteady breath. Alec was watching him intently, obviously this was the first he was hearing of this, just like the rest of them.

"It was said that they did this to fool the human scum into thinking the warlock had died. The spell would keep the Warlock alive, and once the human sulked off in defeat, the spell would be lifted, with the help from other warlocks the affected warlock would replenish his magic, and then they would flee to another part of the world until the human died. It was a dark time, and many rumors spread that the spell was killing more warlocks than it was saving, after all no warlock I have ever known had ever been apart of something like that. The spell and the story surrounding it became a legend amongst the downworld." Jace looked skeptically from Alec to Magnus to Simon. He was convinced that whatever this Regina was about, it certainly couldn't be good.

"And this Regina person is going to do that to you?" Jace asked Magnus incredulously. Magnus shrugged and leaned his head heavily on Alec's shoulder. Jace turned his concerned eyes on his parabatai. Certainly Alec wasn't going to just let this happen.

"Izzy and I met Regina. She seemed very reluctant to talk about it, but after some...convincing… she told us about her dealings with this spell. She says it was one of her relatives back in 1694 that created the spell. It had been passed down in her family but no one ever talked about it because it did kill a lot of warlocks."

"So how can you let her do this?" Jace interrupted. He was kind of mad that Alec was being so careless with Magnus's life. He certainly wouldn't have allowed anyone to do something like that with Clary. Alec held up his hand not around Magnus's shoulder in a surrendering gesture.

"I know it sounds bad, but Regina said that the spell killed warlocks, but it also saved a bunch of them. They were all sworn to never talk about the spell because of how controversial it was which is why it faded into legend. The queen said this was the only way to stop the poison. It's the only chance we have.'" Alec was flicking scared eyes between Jace and Magnus. Jace could understand why. The life of his lover was balancing on chance. He could make it, he could not, and there was no definitive way to know either way. Jace realized then that Clary's fate was contingent on that same chance. If Magnus died during this spell, he couldn't save Clary. Jace watched Magnus breathe evenly, as he was falling asleep on Alec's shoulder. Alec tried to shake him awake.

"Mags, c'mon Magnus, try to stay awake." Alec touched Magnus's face. Then the door to the infirmary room cracked open. Izzy popped her head into the room.

"Hey, guys." Izzy stepped through the door with a rather tall, intimidating woman trailing behind her. The woman had sleek blonde hair pulled back into a tight pony tail. Her features were all pointed, even though they were arranged into a friendly smile. She stood at least 4 inches taller than Izzy, who was admittedly a tall girl as it was. She wore jeans and a purple blouse that showed off her defined muscles. She was built like Izzy, like a warrior, though it was possible she never fought a day in her life.

"Hello. I am Regina. You must be Jace." The blonde warlock said, regarding him with apprehensive eyes. Jace nodded sternly, though neither one offered a hand to shake. She smiled and greeted Simon too.

"Is this Magnus?" Regina asked. Alec nodded and tried to shake Magnus awake again.

"Magnus. Magnus wake up." Magnus sat up then, gasping for breath and clutching the bedsheets in his hands. Alec jumped at the sudden movement and then went to hold his boyfriend. Jace and Simon has jumped too then looked at each other with the same fear stricken expression. Magnus's eyes snapped open and he looked towards Simon and Jace. Jace gasped when the warlock's eyes finally met his. Magnus's eyes were bloodshot, but that wasn't what made Jace gasp. The warlock's usually stunning cat eyes were an ordinary dark brown, with a round iris. They were human eyes.

"Alec." Jace exclaimed. Alec grabbed Magnus's face and turned it to face him. His mouth fell open in shock when he looked into Magnus's eyes.

"His warlock mark is fading, we have to do this now. We are almost out of time. You and you, get out." Regina snapped into action, motioning for Jace and Simon to leave and to take Izzy with them. She rushed over to Magnus. Alec jumped out of his bed and stood anxiously out of the she warlock's way. "Magnus. I'm right here Magnus. I am so sorry." Alec was saying. Jace was the last one out of the door so he heard Regina whisper to the now writhing Magnus "I'm sorry Magnus, but this may hurt." and then he shut the door leaving his brother and his girl in the hands of a stranger whom he's just met.


	20. Chapter 20

The infirmary walls were thick but they did nothing to conceal the yells that came next. Some belonged to Alec, and Jace could feel through the parabatai bond that it was fear and sympathy pain that ripped the yells from his brothers mouth. Magnus's were different, Magnus's yells were agonized. Izzy took Jace and Simon's hands and led them out of the infirmary and away from the sounds. They both followed without question but looked to each other with the same helpless looks.

Izzy did her best to remain calm as the yells echoed down the hall they were walking in. Her heart was beating to their rhythmic sound. She could see the desperation on Jace and Simon's face, and for a second she understood what it must feel like to be a mother. Izzy felt the protective instinct to push her feelings aside and do everything she could to relieve the healthy part of her family of their worries. Once they emerged from the infirmary she led the distraught boys into the front room where there were large, vacant couches, and a warm fire crackling in the fireplace. The room was dimly lit by the fire since the sun had not yet begun to rise. The boys sat next to each other silently, Jace resting his head in his hands, and Simon chewing nervously on his lip. Izzy felt tears welling in her eyes as the screams seemed to haunt the inside of her mind.

"Isabelle?" Maryse had emerged from the long hallway then. She looked alarmed and Isabelle assumed she must have just come from the infirmary. Izzy turned her tear stricken eyes on her mother and tried to find words to explain the horrific sound she undoubtedly heard. None came out though and with no further prodding Maryse crossed the dark room and wrapped her daughter in her arms. Izzy's mother patted her long dark hair and whispered comforting words into her ears as sobs began fighting their way out of her chest. Izzy clung to Maryse, her strong shoulders feeling like a life raft pulling Izzy out of the sea of despair she'd found herself in. She smelled like metal and perfume and it reminded Izzy of being a child which only made her cry harder. Things were changing and the pain was unbearable.

"It's okay dear, it's alright." Maryse was saying to Izzy.

"How do you know that?" Jace asked quietly. His voice was hoarse and void of any emotion. Tears streamed silently down his face and his golden eyes were submerged in the fire. Maryse pulled away from Izzy, but left an arm around her. Simon was looking anxiously from one person to the next. Izzy sympathized the most with him, he must have been feeling so many emotions and not understanding a single on of them. Izzy wiped her eyes and left her mother's side to sit beside Simon. He immediately wrapped an arm around her shoulders and she leaned into him heavily.

"I know because you, my wonderful children, and your friends, singlehandedly ended the Dark War, and saved us all. I know because I know there are no greater warriors than the six of you, and if anyone can survive whatever is going on in that room right now, it's Magnus Bane." Maryse was now sitting beside Jace on the couch, with her hand on his shoulder. He never took his eyes off the fire, but Izzy thought she saw him lean into the touch. Jace blinked a few times in silence, then he finally turned his eyes to meet his adoptive mothers.

"What will become of Alec and I, if Clary and Magnus die?" Jace asked helplessly. Izzy felt the tears return at the sound of hopelessness in Jace's voice, and at all the awful possible answers to that question. Maryse just smiled a sad smile though and touched her son's cheek.

"You will be sad and you will be mournful. The both of you will have to fight a new battle that no amount of training will prepare you for and it will be hard." Jace looked back to the fire, thinking this was all Maryse was going to say. Maryse hooked her finger under his chin and forced his attention back to her. "And then when both of you emerge from such a battle you will not only be the same wonderful people you were before you met them, but you will be even more wonderful because you will bear the marks they have left on you, and you will always carry a piece of them with you. If Clary and Magnus die Jace, you and Alec will still be parabatai, and you will still have a sister, and parents that love you. You will still be great warriors, and wonderful friends. It may feel like it, but losing them doesn't have to mean losing everything." Jace's golden eyes were blank and unwavering, but Izzy felt the weight of what her mom was saying. Her parents knew better than most what grief was like. They lost a child not that long ago and every day had been a fight. Izzy knew Jace understood too, he was just too clouded with his fear and grief right now to show it, and none of them begrudged him that.

Alec walked slowly and tiredly down the main hall. His clothes were covered in sweat and some blood, and his throat was sore from screaming. His eyes were dry though and Alec wondered if it were possible to cry so much you couldn't anymore. He could hear the fire in the front room crackling. The sun was beginning to peak over the horizon, a start to a new day beginning. He wiped at the sweat still dripping off of his forehead and sighed as he prepared himself for what he had to do next. Alec rounded the corner and found his family sitting on the couches there. Izzy was asleep, leaning heavily on Simon's shoulder. Simon was also asleep, his head was leaning on the back of the couch. Simon's mouth was slightly agape and his glasses were sliding up onto his forehead. The only two awake were Jace and Maryse, who sat beside each other but both stared unseeingly into the fire. The room was lit with the morning light and it almost felt ironic that a room so full of dread and sorrow could be so bright. Alec cleared his throat hoping to get Jace and Maryse's attention without waking the others. Jace turned immediately and shot off that couch. He was in front of his brother faster than should have been possible, even for a shadowhunter. Maryse followed more slowly. She took her time and wrapped her sweater she was wearing tightly around her as if she were trying to ward off any bad news Alec may bring.

"What happened? Is he okay?" Jace demanded in a low voice. Maryse came up behind him and put a warning hand on his back. At the touch Jace backed up a few steps and seemed to deflate a bit. Maryse waited patiently for her son to speak, and Alec found her soundness more encouraging than Jace's urgency. Alec turned to his mom and spoke.

"Regina was able to drain all of his magic, and then she healed him of what was left of the poison after that. He seems much better now." Jace began to smile widely but Maryse pursed her lips.

"Then what is wrong Alec?" She asked knowingly.

"Regina used a lot of energy to take his magic and heal him. In order for him to wake up, she needs to restore Magnus's magic. To do that she not only has to do a spell to place his energy back into his body, but he is also going to need an energy source to pull from if he wakes up. She doesn't have the power to do either right now." Alec could feel through their bond the height from which Jace's hopes fell and his heart contracted along with Jace's when the reality of all this began to settle around them.

"How long until she is fine again? Couldn't you just be his power source? I've seen you give him power a lot of times" Jace asked desperately. Alec nodded slowly.

"I could, and that was my plan, and that is all fine. Regina would be well restored by tomorrow and as long as the spell works Magnus could be fine."

"So what's the problem Alec, God dammit I am in no mood for riddles." Jace finally snapped. Maryse jumped at the outburst that succeeded in stirring Izzy and Simon awake. They looked on curiously at the brothers.

"The problem Jace, is that Clary may not have until tomorrow, let alone any extra time it will take Magnus to recover enough to help her." Jace stared at Alec blankly as if he didn't understand what he said. He stuttered a bit.

"I mean - I don't know why not - I mean, why would you think she doesn't have time?" Jace asked quietly now looking to Izzy and Simon to see if they were as confused as he was. They were watching him with pity, as was Maryse.

"Jace. Magnus had had the poison in his system for about three days before he started to die. If it is working the same way in Clary she has the rest of today and maybe tomorrow morning before she will start to change." Alec spoke slowly and carefully, waiting for Jace to react. A pregnant silence fell over the room as everyone waited for Jace to implode. Jace looked from Alec, to his mother, than to his sister. Then very quietly Jace turned and left the room, leaving four very confused set of eyes following him out.

"Alec, isn't there anything we can do? Can the silent brothers slow the poison down like they did in Magnus?" Alec shook his head at Izzy.

"Clary was administered a lot more of the poison than Magnus was, and it is working differently in her body than his. We don't even really know if she will suffer at the same rate as Magnus but since he is the only example we have to go off of we have to assume that she will. Besides Izzy, we still don't know if Magnus will even wake up still so all of this could be a moot point anyway." Simon sighed heavily. The shadowhunters looked to him, surprised by his sudden loud exhale.

"All of this has felt like one giant maybe since it started. I almost wish that whatever was going to happen would just happen already so we could stop wondering." Simon grumbled. Izzy touched his tired face sympathetically and Maryse nodded in agreeance. Alec had to admit he felt the same way as the mundane. The guessing game was getting rather old.

"What if," Jace's voice boomed into the room. He came to stand before Alec again and had hope dancing in his golden eyes. "What if, I let Regina pull energy from me so she could regather her strength faster to finish healing Magnus? Could that work?" Alec furrowed his brow and then shrugged.

"I don't know. Let's go ask her." Alec reached out and grabbed his parabatai's shoulder. Jace smiled like a hopeful child and Alec hoped for his sake that this could work, because disappointing Jace was something no one ever wanted to do.

Together they walked back to the infirmary. Aec and Jace found a tired looking Regina cleaning up the mess she'd made in the room that now housed the unconscious bodies of both of their lovers. She looked up at them curiously when they walked in, obviously on a mission. She narrowed her eyes at them in suspicion.

"What are you two thinking?" She asked. Jace gave Alec a surprised look as he amended that she seemed to be very intuitive.

"We have an idea." Alec stated.


	21. Chapter 21

Regina regarded the young men with skeptical eyes as they told her their plan. The shadowhunter's idea was crazy, but it was just crazy enough it might work. Regina warned the blonde one, Jace, that offering something like that to her would give her access to very personal things about him. She told him that it would probably even be necessary to share the most intimate parts of his energy with her to give her enough juice to do what she needed to do. Jace hesitated for a minute but ultimately decided it was worth it. Regina could tell by the way his eyes kept finding the redhead on the table next to Magnus's that he really meant it would be worth it. After clarifying one more time with both of them Regina sighed and agreed to try their plan.

"Alec, it will be your job to know your parabatai. I will be focused on the spell, and won't be able to pay attention to if i'm taking too much. Keep your senses trained on him and if he begins to fade, you have to stop us." Regina confided quietly to Alec as Jace prepared himself. Alec met her eyes with concerned blue ones.

"Can that happen?" He asked.

"I have pretty much no magical energy right now. I will need to take a lot from him to replenish myself enough to carry out this spell, and if I am to do the spell right I need to be 100% focused on that. I won't be able to stop myself from taking too much, and I get the feeling off your friend over there that he never knows when to stop either." Regina watched the dark haired shadowhunter regard his friend carefully. Jace was kissing the redhead's head and paying them no mind. Alec smiled to himself and shook his head. "No, He certainly doesn't." he said. Regina wondered for a moment what Alec was thinking of in that moment, then Jace came over.

"I'm ready when you all are." Jace said. Alec looked to his parabatai and gave him a confident nod, Regina noted the distinct older brother and younger brother roles they played. Alec was always ready to give a piece of himself to reassure Jace, who always trusted Alec to be right. Once Jace and Alec were in their places next to Magnus, Regina took her spot next to Jace.

"I promise I won't speak of the things I learn next." Regina said simply to Jace. Jace nodded at her appreciatively.

"Thank you." He said back. Then the warlock grasped the shadowhunters hand and Jace had to physically hold back a yell.

"Let me in Jace, I can't take anything until you give it to me." Regina yelled to the shadowhunter. He looked to the warlock with scared eyes and then yelled out loud as his energy and memories began to pour into Regina. As soon as she felt strong enough she began to work Magnus over with her magic. Try as she might though, she couldn't block the feelings and memories pouring into her from Jace. "You have to take them Regina." Jace gasped. She allowed herself to meet his eyes for one second. The boy was right. Energy transfer had to be an open two way road, he had to willingly give, and she had to willingly take. She sighed the last of her resolve and the essence of Jace poured into her.

Jace's energy was massive, his angelic connection fueled Regina like she had never been fueled before. Suddenly his determination, his power, and love for these people began to motivate her in ways she had never been motivated before. Regina through all the power she was gaining into returning Magnus's energy back to him. The room was lighting up with her purple magic so bright that Alec was having to cover his eyes. Suddenly Regina was seeing a different scene.

" _Magnus! Magnus I know you're in there! Give me my brother back!" Jace was yelling at the closed door in his face. There was a hint of humor in the shadowhunter's voice. He could hear laughter behind the door, and then the door opened. Magnus stood before him. His dark hair was spiked straight up in a fierce fohawk and his cat eyes were outlines with dark eyeliner. Humor played on his foreign features in the same glamourous way the sparkles on his eyes did. His clothes were just as extravagant._

" _Jace. Fancy seeing you here. What exactly are you doing here at my apartment?" Jace laughed_

" _C'mon Magnus. There's some demon activity in the park and I want my brother to come hunting with me." Jace said amused. Magnus rolled his eyes dramatically._

" _Fine. Alexander, go with your brother, but return soon. I will miss you terribly." Magnus said to an approaching Alec with a wicked smile. Alec bent and kissed him lightly before leaving the apartment and a smiling Magnus behind._

Regina gasped as she returned to the room and the spell she was doing. She worried for a second that the distraction caused her to falter in the spell, but as she assessed her magic she realized that it was more sound than ever. She looked to see if Alec or Jace had noticed any change but they both seemed the same. Alec was focused on Magnus and any movements he may of been making. Jace was staring ahead blankly, seemingly focused on his task at hand.

"It's working Regina!"Alec yelled. Regina looked to him. "Magnus is starting to move, keep doing what you were doing." Regina nodded and looked back to Jace. Jace was staring at her then. "Use them, I think they are helping." Jace said. Regina assumed he meant the memories but she didn't have time to think it over before she was being pulled into another memory.

" _Magnus? Alec said you needed to talk to me?" Jace was rounding the corner onto a terrace where an extravagant Magnus was sitting, waiting. He was wearing a purple and black suit that was surprisingly more subtle than his usually shining ensemble. A cat lay in his lap and Magnus was petting him almost nervously._

" _What's up Magnus?" Jace asked curiously as he took a seat in the afternoon sun next to the warlock. Magnus nervously rubbed his pant legs and didn't meet Jace's eyes._

" _Magnus. I've never seen you this nervous what is going on. Wait! I know what it is! You're pregnant aren't you?" Jace said in mock shock. Magnus finally met the shadowhunter's eyes with a well deserved glare. Jace laughed for a while. Once he was sobered up he got serious._

" _Seriously Magnus, just say it." Magnus cleared his throat and met his eyes._

" _I was thinking about Alec, and I realized that the only person in this whole world who could possibly understand the way I feel about him is you. So when it came to what I am about to do I wanted to ask you first." Jace furrowed his brow._

" _I want to marry Alexander, and I want your blessing to do so." Magnus finally spit out what he was meaning to say. Jace's eyebrows raised to his hairline and he froze for a second before a smile broke out across his face. He jumped up and pulled the warlock to his feet and pulled him into a more than awkward hug._

" _Of course you have my blessing Magnus. No one will ever love my brother more than you. Just know I won't let anyone hurt him, not even you."_

" _Than we have that in common shadowhunter." Magnus said with a grateful smile._

Regina gasped as she was thrown out of the memory and back into the room.

"Regina! Regina! Stop, Jace can't take it anymore!" Alec was yelling. Regina seemed to snap back into action when she suddenly dropped Jace's hand and the room fell silent and void of her magic. Jace fell unceremoniously to the floor, unconscious but alive.

"Jace." Alec exclaimed.

"He's fine Alec. He just needs to rest." Regina said. Alec looked at her with skeptical tired eyes and then seemingly made the decision that he couldn't fight yet another battle that morning. He was still looking to his parabatai when the softest of sounds came from the bed where his lover lay.

"Alexander." The voice was feeble, tired, and quiet but it was unwavering. Alec's head snapped to face Magnus and with a cry of pure joy he reached for his boyfriend's hand.

"By the Angle it worked. It worked Regina!" Alec was exclaiming as he touched Magnus's worn face. The shadowhunter kissed the Warlocks hands as he whispered I love you's every few seconds. Regina smiled at the scene, feeling a sense of redemption not just for herself, but for her family and the legacy they had left with this spell. Never again would she think her bloodline was capable of only killing, of only tragedy. How could she believe that as the love poured out around the room?


	22. Chapter 22

Alec stared in awe as Magnus began to gain strength. Slowly his eyes fluttered open and his beautiful cat eyes stared back at Alec. Alec touched his lover's face gently

"Magnus. I love you Magnus." Alec was aware that somewhere behind him Izzy and Simon had come in and was helping Regina move an unconscious Jace out of the room, but his eyes were only for Magnus.

"Alexander? Is it over?" a weak Magnus croaked out. Alec couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. He leaned his forehead against Magnus's.

"Just about Magnus. Just about. You just have to take some energy from me so you can be strong again."

"So the spell worked?" Tears welled up in Alec's eyes, and for the first time in three days they were tears of happiness.

"Yeah. It worked. I told you. I told you I would fix this for you." Magnus smiled then and attempted to laugh. His lungs were weak and his energy was low but it was the most beautiful sound to Alec. Alec climbed back into the bed with his boyfriend and wrapped his arm around him so that Magnus was leaning mostly on his side. Then he slid his hand into Magnus's.

"This is the easy part Mags. Take it, take it until you feel strong again." Magnus leaned heavily into Alec. Alec could have celebrated when he felt the familiar tug of Magnus pulling his energy from him. Not wanting to jostle the sick Magnus though, he instead just kissed the side of his head and got comfortable. It didn't take nearly as long as Alec thought it would for Magnus to regain his strength. Within an hour or two Magnus was sitting up on his own and looking a lot more like his old self. Alec on the other hand was growing very tired. After the long night and most of the day he had had, and now the loss of energy he could use a long nap.

"Alexander?" Magnus asked. Alec opened his eyes that he didn't remember closing.

"Hm?" Alec inquired. Magnus kissed him on his lips. It was a sweet kiss, not demanding, or full of steam, it was simply sweet and testing. Alec kissed Magnus back passionately. For one moment Alec allowed himself to feel the relief of Magnus being okay. He never wanted to think about living without Magnus again. Magnus pulled away and looked lovingly into Alec's eyes.

"You're turn to rest Sweet Pea, I have some work to do." Alec furrowed his brow and tried to protest Magnus leaving the bed but he found himself weaker than he thought. Magnus laughed at Alec's attempt and kissed his cheek.

"Shush now. You've done enough." The last thing Alec was aware of was Magnus tucking a blanket around his body and the door quietly clicking shut.

Magnus could feel the lingering effects of what his body had just been through. He knew his magic wouldn't be up to its usual standards, but for now he was well enough to find Maryse and Isabelle and figure out what he had missed. He couldn't remember a whole lot from the time Alec left to now, he had a few snippets of memory here and there but the rest was just a blur of exhaustion and fever. He got all the way out of the infirmary without anyone spotting him. It wasn't until get gout down the hall near the training room when someone finally noticed him.

"Magnus?" Magnus turned at the sound of the voice. It was Isabelle. There was a shy smile on her face and she was approaching him like he was a scared animal, slow and steady.

"Hello Isabelle." Magnus said in his usual voice. The youngest Lightwood embraced him sincerely and he embraced her back.

"I'm so glad to see you on your feet again." She said.

"I'm glad to be on my feet again. Where is your mother?" Izzy furrowed her brow but pointed towards the library anyway. "She's been in there most of the morning." Magnus nodded and moved around the youngest Lightwood. He turned back to her after a second thought though.

"Izzy, don't go far okay? I have a feeling I will need you here soon." Izzy nodded her understanding and then disappeared into the training room. Magnus hesitated for only a second before continuing his pursuit for the parent Lightwood.

The library doors stood large and shut before Magnus. He always had a deep appreciation for the beautiful wood, and the engravings on the wood of the doors to the institute's library. He could tell they were very old, but they were original. Someone had taken very good care of them. He allowed himself the pleasure of drinking them in before pushing them aside and striding into the grand library. The desk that sat in the middle, which used to belong to Hodge, now sat Maryse. Leaning against the wooden desk was a very tall, warrior-like woman. Magnus vaguely remembered her as Regina, the warlock who saved his life.

"Magnus. You have recovered relatively quickly, I am so glad." Maryse called to him as he approached. The she warlock straightened and met his cat eyes with a level stare. She appeared to be assessing him.

"I am not a hundred percent yet, but I am feeling much better." Magnus replied. When he finally neared the desk he held out his hand the Regina.

"I'd like to formally introduce myself, and thank you. I'm Magnus Bane, High Warlock of Brooklyn." Regina smiled warmly and took his hand.

"I know, I've heard so many things about you since I have arrived, and no thanks is necessary really. You have done as much for me and my family today as I have done for you." Magnus held her hand fondly for a few moments, then turned to Maryse.

"Speaking of things I don't understand. I'd like to know what happened to me, and what is happening to Clary. I have already seen Alec, and I assume Jace is around here somewhere. Does anyone know what they got themselves into?" Maryse eyed him skeptically, and then her concerned eyes met Regina's in a silent exchange. Magnus watched the two ladies and waited.

"You don't remember anything from before?" Regina asked.

"I remember some things. I remember meeting you, I remember excruciating pain, and I remember wondering if I'd ever see Alexander again. It's all very foggy for me though." The women sighed in unison, almost like they were expecting as much. Magnus furrowed his brow and quirked his head to the side. Maryse rose from her chair.

"Come here Magnus, have a seat. This isn't a very short story." Magnus hesitated and then did as he was told. For the next hour he listened intently as Maryse and Regina told him what Jace, Simon, and Alec had done and learned. He tried to conceal his mixed feelings over the Seelie Queen's death. She was a vile woman and creature no doubt, but she was as old as he was, even older Magnus suspected. There were very few creatures Magnus had known all his adult life. Maryse then detailed the awful limbo they teetered in as Alec and Izzy left to find Regina and confirm that she could actually do what the Queen had said. Regina took her turn then telling her family's story again. Then she told Magnus about the spell, and what exactly she had done to him. Magnus winced as he remembered the pain and Alec's mournful screams. They finished by telling him Jace's plan to share his energy with Regina, and how that lead to his current state.

"His energy and memories really helped me to replace your magic, but I took a little too much. He will be okay, he is just going to need some rest." Regina said. Magnus met her eyes curiously as he began to wonder what memories she saw of Jace's.

"And that is pretty much all we have. Now we are just waiting on you to recover enough to help Clary. If the poison runs its course through her at the same rate it did you, then we believe she has until sunrise tomorrow." Maryse concluded. Magnus sat thoughtfully at the desk. He was assessing himself, his energy level, the intensity of his magic. He knew we wouldn't be capable of helping Clary yet, but there were some things at his apartment that could help speed the process along. He knew he would need Izzy again.

Maryse and Regina were chatting quietly. After a few minutes Magnus heard Regina excuse herself. Magnus's attention was caught then, as a thought coursed through his mind then. He jumped up and politely excused himself from Maryse, and then ran to catch up with the she warlock.

"Regina!" He called. She stopped and waited for him just outside the library doors.

"Magnus?" she asked curiously.

"Regina, what memories did Jace share with you?" Magnus decided not to beat around the bush and just cut to the chase. Regina's eyebrows knitted together slightly.

"I saw you ask him for his blessing to propose to Alec." She stated simple. Magnus's eyes widened.

"You didn't say anything to Alec did you? That is a very recent memory." Magnus stressed. Regina smiled at the concerned Warlock.

"No I didn't. I promised Jace I wouldn't speak of anything he showed me. The lack of privacy is the worst part of sharing energy." Regina's eyes grew far away and Magnus wondered if Jace may have seen some personal parts of Regina.

"That really depends on who you're doing it with." Magnus amended, knowing that seeing himself through Alec's eyes was always the best part. Regina smiled good naturedly, undoubtedly picking up on his meaning.

"I guess you're right." she said. She walked away then, towards the stairs that led up to the rows of bedrooms.

"Magnus?" Magnus turned towards the training room to meet Izzy's eyes once again.

"Ah just the shadowhunter I was looking for." Magnus greeted.

Jace stirred a few hours later. His eyes fluttered open and he could see midday sun filtering in through the curtain on the window. He struggled to remember how he's gotten back into bed, and then panic shot through him. Jace sat straight up in bed. How long had it been exactly? Was Magnus alright? Did they succeed? _Clary_. With that thought Jace swung his legs out of bed and strode purposefully out of his bedroom door. It didn't take him long to get down to the infirmary where he found a still unconscious Clary, and a half asleep Alec. Jace stood confused for a moment as he assessed what he was seeing. Magnus was gone, which meant one of two things, either he had died and had been moved, or he was well, and had left on his own accord. In his place was Alec, who was now staring at him groggily as if he didn't understand what he was seeing either.

"Jace? How are you feeling?" a tired sounding Alec inquired.

"How am I feeling? Rather confused. Where is Magnus? Did he make it?" Jace asked with urgency creeping into his voice.

"What?" Alec asked as he rubbed his face trying to wake up further, "Oh yeah, yeah he's fine. He took a lot of energy from me and then left to, well I don't really know what he was going to do, I was a little under the weather at that point." Jace let out a breath he hadn't noticed he was holding. He was relieved to know that Magnus was okay, which meant that Clary would be okay. Alec watched Jace closely as several emotions passed over his face.

"Are you okay Jace?" Alec was sitting up in bed with his arms crossed over his chest in his usual manner. Jace furrowed his brow and thought the question over for a minute. It had been so long since Jace had really felt okay. Between the nightmares that were stealing his sleep leading up to the attack, and then the attack itself which left him without Clary. He hadn't been okay for weeks and things still weren't right yet, but for the first time in a long time Jace knew they would be.

"Jace?" Alec asked when he didn't answer.

"I was so worried I was going to lose her, Man." Jace confided. He turned to look at Clary, looking peaceful as ever. Alec's eyes grew soft.

"I know exactly what you mean." Alec said. Jace looked back at his brother then.

"I'm sorry." Jace said simply, not really knowing how to convey the way he felt about what had happened to Magnus. Alec shook his head with a small smile touching his lips.

"The important thing is we won. We always seem to find a way to win huh?" Jace smiled playfully at his brother.

"We make a great team." Jace said to Alec. Alec smiled back and Jace knew he was remembering when they were little and training together, he knew Alec was thinking of that because he was too. Alec and Jace had faced so much together, and for a minute Jace allowed himself to picture what it would have been like had Clary and Magnus died. When Maryse had said it, Jace had not taken her seriously. Now though Jace could see that as long as they had each other, he and Alec could get through just about anything. Jace walked over to his brother and wrapped his arms around his head. Alec encircled his parabatai in his arms and they hugged for a while. When Jace finally pulled away Alec was staring at Clary. Jace followed his eyes to his lover. She was beautiful and still, like she had been the past two nights.

"What's the first thing you're going to say to her when she wakes up?" Alec asked quietly.

Without looking away from Clary Jace asked"What did you say to Magnus?" Alec didn't respond but he didn't have to. Jace knew what he said because it is all he wants to tell Clary. It's the only thing you can say when the love of your life returns to you from a life threatening battle.

 _I love you_.


	23. Chapter 23

"Are you ready?" Magnus asked Jace. Jace was staring out of the infirmary window, into the night. Magnus had left earlier that day with Izzy to retrieve some things from his apartment to help him regain his strength. Jace had taken the opportunity to shower and put on a fresh pair of jeans and a black T-shirt. When Magnus had returned he got with Regina and they worked up how exactly to remove the poison from Clary. It had been an agonizing process for Jace to sit through. As the hours passed he had grown impatient and concerned. Simon had noticed that while Magnus was away some of Clary's runes were starting to fade, she was running out of time. Then mercifully, around midnight, Magnus proclaimed that he felt strong enough and confident enough to give it a go. Jace and Magnus had been the only ones permitted to go into the room and while Magnus had been setting things up around his sleeping lover, Jace had been staring out the window, trying to imagine how wonderful it was going to feel to have her in his arms again.

"Jace?" Magnus urged. Jace met Magnus's eyes with slightly wide ones.

"Oh yeah. I'm beyond ready." Jace grabbed Clary's limp hand, like he had done so many times in the last couple days. She didn't hold his back but he clenched hers very tightly. Magnus nodded then and the room lit up blue as magic began to pour from his fingers. He grabbed onto her other hand with one of his glowing ones and placed the other one over the entry point where the blade had pierced her. The room felt alive with electricity as Jace watched with painful anticipation.

For a long time nothing happened. Magnus continued on in his silent spell. If Jace couldn't see the sweat beading up on his head, and the sparks of blue flying around the room, he would have assumed Magnus was doing nothing. As the hour mark hit though, Magnus began to struggle. His breathing became labored and his hands began to shake.

"Jace," Magnus began, but just as he started to speak something happened. It was the slightest of movements, just a twitch really, but the hand of Clary's clasped in Jace's moved.

"Magnus she moved. It's working." Jace knew that once Magnus had rendered his magic useless in the poison they would still have to heal her from the demon blood coursing through her veins, but the fact that she was moving meant that the worst of it was over. Motivated by the progress Magnus seemed to catch a second wind and he straightened up. The blue light emitting from his hands seemed to grow brighter. He was sweating profusely now.

Jace watched as Clary's runes began to darken again and her face regained its red color. She was coming back. Then something wonderful happened. Clary's eyes fluttered. They didn't open completely, but Jace saw them flutter enough to let her eyelashes cast a new shadow along her high cheek bones. Then the light from Magnus's magic died and the men stood in silence over Clary. Magnus was breathing heavily and wiping at his brow. Jace was holding his breath. "There. It's done." Magnus managed to say between breaths. A pregnant silence filled the room as they waited.

 _C'mon Clary, do something. Anything._

Then, in the silence, Clary ever so slightly wrapped her fingers around Jace's hand. Then she began to moan in pain.

Clary felt like she had the worst hangover ever. Her head was pounding, and her muscles felt like they weighed a hundred pounds each.

"Ugh." She moaned as she tried to open her eyes and found the lights above only made the pain worse. Clary then became aware of the fact that she was bitterly cold, despite the blanket she felt wrapped around her body.

"Clary?" The sound was like pure silk and her heart tried to jump out of its chest in response. The voice was very far away and she tried yet again to open her eyes, to look for him, to look for Jace. Ever so slowly Clary managed to get her eyes open and leave them that way. She knew instantly that she was in Jace's room. The lights she thought had been so assaulting and so numerous happened to be only the one light above his bed, and now that she was adjusting it didn't seem so bright. She managed to turn her head and then there he was. He was so beautiful it made Clary want to cry. His blonde hair was tousled like he'd been running his fingers through it non stop. There were dark circles under his perfect gold eyes that were staring into hers with tears dancing in them. A black shirt clung to his gorgeous chest and his hands were cupped around one of hers. Jace.

"Clary." His voice was a soft whisper, and there was so much brokenness in it that Clary forgot momentarily all the pain she was in and tried to sit up to touch him, to comfort him. She immediately winced as the movement sent white hot pain searing through her muscles.

"Don't try to move. Magnus said you may be sore for a while."

"Jace." Her voice was hoarse and unclear, but she managed to call his name. Jace squeezed her hand tighter and the tears that were dancing in his eyes slid down his perfect cheeks.

"I love you Clary. I love you so much." Then he was kissing her knuckles and she could feel his face against her skin. She turned her hand so that it was no longer held by his and his cheek was resting in her palm. She wiped at the tears there.

"Don't cry." She uttered. He smiled then, a beautifully sad and radiant smile.

"They are happy tears." He whispered to her as he reached a hand out to mirror the way she was touching him. His calloused fingers lightly caressed her cheek. She could tell he was trying to be careful not to hurt her. She needed to feel him though, really feel him.

"It doesn't hurt there." She told him in a clearer voice. The longer she was up the stronger she felt. She leaned into his hand a little more, forcing more pressure from his hand. He obliged and fully rested his hand there.

"You're burning up Clary." His brow was furrowed and his voice now concerned. He moved his hand from her cheek to her forehead. Clary tried not to pout like a five year old at the abscence of his affection.

"I feel like I'm going to freeze to death." She told him, pulling the covers closer around her.

"I need to find Magnus, ask him if this is normal." Before Clary could protest Jace was out of her reach and out the door. Clary rolled her eyes as the door clicked shut. She took the opportunity to assess herself and the room. The last thing she remembered was Jace hollering at her from across the room, warning her about what was coming in the middle of the battle. Then everything went black. Clary had no idea how long it had been since then, but she could see that Jace's room was neat and clean again. A way it was only when she hadn't been in here the previous night. The sky was dark outside the window, the moon casting a whitish glow over the hardwood floors.

Her body was sore, no doubt about it, but from what she could see there was no bruises or open wounds. She looked a little paler than usual but she didn't know if that was just the poor lighting or a result of what had happened to her. What had happened to her anyway? Now fully awake her head was working in overdrive. Suddenly she had more questions than even she could keep up with. Then Jace came back through the door looking placated.

"Magnus says that flu like symptoms aren't surprising. So as long as he isn't concerned neither am I. Are you okay?" Jace had caught sight of her furrowed brow as he was talking and was instantly concerned again.

"What happened Jace?" Clary asked as she battled the questions swimming around her head fighting to find a way out and to get some answers. Jace looked at her sympathetically. Much to her surprise he walked up to the bed and began unbuttoning his jeans. Clary looked on with mild confusion. Then a minute later he was crawling into bed with her and pulling her very gently into his chest. For a second Clary forgot all her worries as she allowed his scent and arms surround her. He made a sound that sounded a lot like purring and kissed the top of her head. She looked up at him and caught his eyes. He seemed to get trapped there and then he was kissing her gently on the lips. A whimper fell from his mouth and he cupped her cheek.

"I thought I was going to lose you." He said against her mouth. "I thought you were never coming back." She kissed him then, hard. Every muscle she had was screaming at her but after who knows how long of feeling nothing she welcomed the pain, if only to be able to comfort him.

"I wouldn't leave you. I promised you, I wouldn't leave." She tried to comfort him. He was pulling her lips between his between each word though and soon talking was lost on them. Passion over took her need for answers and his need for comfort and they just kissed for a long time. The pain even took a backseat to the need to taste him, to feel his tongue against hers, to kiss the tears off his face, to look into his eyes. He pulled away first.

"I love you." He whispered into the space between them.

"I love you." She said back. She touched the dark circles under his eyes lightly with her fingertips.

"You look so tired." Jace smiled sadly, she frowned at him, sorry to have worried him so much. He tucked her into his side then and pulled the blanket close around them. She was secretly thankful for the warmth of his body and the blanket as she still felt extremely cold.

"I couldn't sleep without you." He muttered into her hair. She smiled at his confession and snuggled closer to him.

"I'm here now." Clary said. She felt his smile against her head where his chin was resting.

"Yes, you are." They both smiled, feeling ecstatically happy to just be together.

"You know, you're going to have to tell me what happened while I was gone, it will eat away at me."

"I will. Tomorrow." Jace said and then he snuggled into her. She welcomed the closeness and before she knew it, she could here his breathing even out. She chuckled to herself at how quickly he fell asleep. Her poor lover, so completely exhausted, and so completely at ease now that she was okay.

Clary wanted to know what happened to her, and how long she had been gone, but she was content to wait. Right now, nothing sounded better than laying here, running her fingers through Jace's hair as he slept soundly for the first time in lord knows how long. This was the least she could do for him, after all he's done for her.


	24. Chapter 24

Clary woke up slowly. Her mind felt like it was wandering through a sea of fog as she rose from unconsciousness. Jace was still sleeping next to her. His breathing was even and his body was warm. Hers didn't feel nearly as sore as it did the night before. She opened her green eyes finally and stared at the man beside her. His hair was a mess atop his head, and his mouth was hanging open. If it had been anyone else it would have been an unattractive look, but it was Jace and even when ugly Jace was pretty gorgeous. Clary kissed his cheek lightly and climbed over him as slowly and gently as she could. Her muscles ached from the unfamiliar movement and once her feet were planted on the cool wooden floor she gave herself some time to stretch and adjust. The sunlight was filtering in through the window in Jace's room, and Clary knew it had to be late morning by then. Once she felt like her muscles wouldn't betray her she crept into the bathroom and ran through a much needed shower.

The water was warm against her back. It did wonders in loosening up her tense muscles and making her feel better. Jace's scent surrounded her when she squeezed some of his shampoo into her hand to lather into her hair. She enjoyed that to the fullest, basking in his scent, loving being awake and around him again. Once she concluded her shower she grabbed the towel Jace had hanging on the towel rack and wrapped it around her body. She was pleased to see him still asleep when she reemerged from the bathroom. Clary admired his sleeping form for one more minute and then very quietly crept out of his room and down the hall. There was a bedroom there packed with her things that she used when she stayed at the institute on a regular basis. Recently it had been a lot. Her mom and Luke were in Idris most of the time and while they would love her to be with them, Clary needed to be here. With Jace, and with the Lightwoods. It was where her heart was.

The room looked relatively untouched since she stayed with Jace on most occasions. The room was really just a pretense kept up for her mother's sake, who was still having trouble trusting Jace. Her clothes and art supplies stayed in this room though and Clary was happy to find a pair of jeans and a black tank top in one of the drawers. Her clothes felt soft and familiar around her body and as much as she loved the smell of Jace, it was nice to feel like, and smell like, herself again. She brushed her red hair out, and then scrunched it into its usual curly mess. Once she felt presentable she left her fake room and made her way down the stairs.

Clary was surprised to find her heart racing as she descended the steps. The institute had been a second home to her for many years now, but the last time she had seen any of it, it had been fraught with death and carnage. She wasn't exactly sure what she would find when she reached the bottom of the steps.

The steps lead her down into the kitchen, which was empty by this time in the morning. She noticed a fruit basket sitting on the counter and gratefully plucked an apple from the pile. She took a gracious bite from it as she turned the corner in the familiar path to the library. So far Clary had encountered no one, through the living room, and down the hall. She was starting to grow concerned. The institute was usually alive with activity. She approached the library doors and felt mildly surprised to find them open. They were usually closed. When she walked in she found Simon and Izzy sitting by the grand desk in the middle of the room. They looked immersed in a serious conversation but it halted as soon as Clary entered. Isabelle's face broke into a huge smile "By the Angel." Clary heard her mutter, which made Simon look up. Izzy squealed when she shot out of her chair and ran across the room with her arms held open wide. Clary embraced the taller woman excitedly and squealed with her.

"Clary! Bless the Angel Clary we were so worried." Izzy said into her hair. Clary could hear the emotion in Izzy's voice and it brought tears to her eyes. She never knew the lightwoods to get emotional about anything.

"I'm sorry Isabelle. I'm okay though, honest." Clary assured her as she pulled away and looked the smaller shadowhunter up and down.

"Yes, you are." Izzy whispered, either to herself or to Clary, Clary couldn't figure it out.

"Clary?" Simon walked up behind Isabelle slowly, almost like he was afraid of Clary. Isabelle stepped out of his way and allowed the boy to approach Clary. Clary gave him a warm smile.

"They drug you into this too?" Clary asked.

"You're boyfriend can be very persuasive when he wants to be." Simon said with a nervous laugh. Clary laughed with him.

"I'm sorry I have worried you all so much." Clary said, looking at Simon sadly when she noticed the same dark circles beneath his eyes that were under Jace's. Simon pulled Clary into a hug then, holding her tight against him.

"It's our job to worry about you, Fray." He said to her. Clary relaxed against her best friend and let him hold her. She loved the moments that felt like this between them, like they had never lost anything and he had never forgotten her.

"I love you Simon." Clary whispered to him. He held her tighter then.

"I remember. I don't remember a lot of the details, but I remember that you love me, and I love you, and this world doesn't feel right when we pretend otherwise." Clary let the tears spill from her eyes as she listened to her best friend say things she had only dreamt of since he gave up his memories to save them. When he pulled away from her Clary noticed that Izzy was gone, and it was just them in the large library.

"Are you really okay?" Simon asked her. She nodded and wandered over to the window seat she had sat in that morning. Where she had told Jace she thought they were missing something, right before the alarms began to toll. She sat carefully on the seats edge and looked at Simon, who had followed loyally and perched next to her.

"I feel fine. I just don't really know what happened to me, so I'm having a weird kind of out of body experience," Clary said lingeringly.

"Jace didn't tell you?"

"We didn't talk much last night." Simon's eyebrows shot up and a sheepish smile spread across his face.

"Oh." He said chuckling. This broke Clary out of her reverie. She laughed and smacked Simon lightly on the shoulder.

"Not because of that! Pervert." Clary scolded. Simon held his hands up in surrender as he laughed. When they sobered Clary looked out the window and sighed.

"No, we were both just really exhausted. The poor guy, I don't know when the last time he slept was."

"He's slept some, but only a few hours here and there. You were out for three days." Simon said. Clary stayed silent as she took in this knowledge. She knew it had been a period of time, and she was relieved to know it wasn't all that long of a period. Simon told Clary the story from when he came into it. He told her about the frantic way in which Jace plead with him to help him, and he told her all about the Seelies, and what happened to the Queen. He even told her about Magnus being poisoned and Alec killing the Queen when it was all said and done. Clary just listened silently and stared out the window. She imagined herself there through the whole thing, through Jace and Alec's whole battle. She wished she could have been there to help them.

"So what happened to that Regina person?" Clary wondered.

"She left soon after she completed her spell on Magnus. I got the feeling that she was rather wiped out from all the magic use. She promised to stay in touch with Magnus though."

"Is Magnus alright?" Clary asked absent mindedly when Simon fell silent.

"What? Oh yeah. He's good. Him and Alec went back to his apartment last night, but they should be back any time. Magnus will be happy to see you." Simon said. Then he scrutinized her until she met his prying eyes.

"What?" She asked.

"What's bothering you?" He inquired. Clary was silent while she contemplated her next words.

"Do you think I am selfish, staying here instead of going to Idris with my mom and Luke?" Simon's head quirked to the side.

"How is that selfish?" he wondered.

"Simon, all of these bad things keep happening, to you and the Lightwoods, to Jace, and I just feel like, it's my fault. Like I caused all of this to happen. Valentine was my father, the Queen was after me. Magnus almost died, I-"

"Clary. Stop. None of any of this is your fault and it never has been. The Dark War would have happened with or without you, and thank God you were there. From what I've heard, you kind of saved the world Fray." Simon nudged her and gave her a sweet smile that Clary couldn't resist.

" _We_ saved the world. All of us." She said to Simon. She leaned her head against his shoulder and he kissed the top of her head. They sat there like that for a while, enjoying the peace it brought to be together.

"Where is my biscuit?" Clary laughed out loud at the sound of Magnus's booming voice coming down the hall. "I'm in here Magnus!" She called. Simon rose from his perch and waited for Magnus to find them. A few short seconds later Magnus walked in. His hair was gelled in spiked in its usual manner. He had on skin tight black pants and glamourous jacket. He had his hands raised and Clary could see he had on all his usual rings.

"There she is!" Magnus proclaimed. Clary smiled and met him in the middle of the room in a fond embrace. Clary was sure she would come away from the hug covered in glitter but she didn't care much. In a way, Magnus was like another parent to her. He had watched her grow up after all.

"My sweet pet. I am so glad you're well. We all missed you so much." The sentiment was uncharacteristically sweet and sincere. Clary smiled into Magnus's shoulder. When she opened her eyes Clary caught sight of Alec, Izzy, and Jace. They were lingering by the door of the library. Alec's hands were clasped behind his back and his eyes were darting around the room as he tried to avoid Clary's eyes. Jace was leaning against the door in the sexy was he does, and his eyes were locked on her. Clary smiled at the them. She pulled away from Magnus and looked into his unusually beautiful eyes.

"I don't know how to thank you Magnus." Magnus quickly waved Clary off.

"No thanks necessary. Besides, I hardly did anything this time. It was really Regina and these two." Magnus indicated with his head at the three of them standing in the doorway. He gave a devilish grin to Alec who blushed slightly in response and gave a shy smile to Clary. Clary met Jace's eyes first and he winked at her. It was her turn to blush as chills ran down her spine . Then she looked at Alec. She walked up to him, tilting her head up to meet his eyes. He towered over her small frame this close up.

"Thank you, Alec. I know you didn't really do anything for me, but it means a lot just the same." Alec looked at Jace and smirked, then he looked back at Clary.

"I might have done some of it for you." He admitted. A big smile broke out across Clary's face and she wrapped her arms around Alec's torso, trapping him in a hug. He held his arms up awkwardly at first before finally giving in and hugging her back. Somewhere behind them Jace and Izzy laughed.

"I'm glad you're okay. Things wouldn't be the same without you little sister." Alec mumbled quietly, for just Clary to hear. She winked at him as she pulled away. He smiled good naturedly but retreated to Magnus's side, where he was greeted by a sweet kiss from his boyfriend. Clary watched with humor, and then she felt arms encircle her from behind. Jace rested his chin on her shoulder. Clary sighed and leaned into him as Izzy walked over to Simon and kissed his cheek. Simon gave her his best dorky smile, which pulled a smile from Clary as well.

"Well isn't this a nice sight." The couples turned to see Maryse standing behind Jace and Clary in the doorway of the library. Maryse stole Clary momentarily to pull her into an unexpected hug and then she allowed the girl to return to Jace's side.

"Never do that to me again. Any of you, do you understand me?" Maryse scolded, scrutinizing each of them individually. The young couples all laughed.

"Good night Simon." Clary called down the hall. He was apparently staying the night with Izzy, which Clary gave him so much lip about. She chuckled as she turned into the doorway of her fake room. Almost immediately she dropped the smile though and jumped.

"By the Angel! Jace you scared the crap out of me!" Clary scolded the shadowhunter leaning against the wall right inside the door. He chuckled at her scared face and reached for her. She willingly leaned into him as he wrapped his arms tightly around her.

"Hmm. What are you doing in here?" She pressed her lips to his ear greedily, winning herself a pleasing sound from Jace.

"Getting ready for bed, duh." He said to her lightly pulling out of her grasp. Clary pouted at the lack of contact. He granted her a light kiss but moved away again, much to her chagrin.

"We don't ever sleep in here." She grumbled.

"You have a nicer shower than I do." He teased ducking into the shower. Clary laughed as she heard the water cut on. She followed her boyfriend into the bathroom and found him already behind the curtain and under the water.

"No I don't." She said skeptically. "Your shower has that massager thingy, it's amazing." Jace laughed and popped his head out of the shower.

"When's the last time you used this shower? Matter of fact, when's the first time you used this shower? What do you know?" Jace scoffed at Clary and then ducked back behind the curtain. Clary's mouth hung open as she searched for a witty comeback, but she had nothing. Clary couldn't remember a time she ever used that shower. Then she smirked as she had an idea. She started pulling her clothes off slowly.

"You know what?" She pulled her shirt over her head. "You're right." She pulled her jeans off. "I'm going to have to try it for myself." She pulled her bra and underwear off and then she jumped into the shower behind him. He jumped so hard he about fell. Clary wrapped her arms around him as she dissolved into a fit of giggles. When he regained his balance he laughed with her and hugged her close. Clary reveled in the way her bare skin felt against his. His strong, lean muscles were pressed against her in the most delicious way. She nipped lightly at his neck, earning a change in mood from Jace. A low grumble sounded from his chest and he covered her lips with his. She kissed him back eagerly, suddenly aware of the lack of time they had had together. She pressed her hips hard against his, and wasn't disappointed to find he was already on the same page as her. A moan whispered out of her lips and Jace ran his hands down her back. Then without warning he lifted her so that her legs were wrapped around his waist. The water had drenched her by now and their skin was sticking together from the wetness. Clary gasped in surprise, which Jace swallowed as he enveloped her in another kiss. When he released her Clary laughed without humor.

"You're right. My shower is way better." Clary said. Jace chuckled, but reached around her to shut the water off.

"Wait until you see how much better your bed is." He grumbled. He carried her from the bathroom into her fake bedroom. Clary giggled the whole way as she left a trail of kisses down his still dripping neck.

"Jace!" Clary's giggles morphed into full on fits of laughter. "Jace! The door is open!" She exclaimed. Jace popped his head up from the spot on her neck he was sucking on.

"What?" He asked. "Oh no." He said chuckling. He looked down at her seriously.

"Clary. Simon is going to be so scarred." And with that he went back to sucking on her neck. Clary laughed harder and pushed on his chest. He abandoned his kissing and started tickling Clary. Clary howled with laughter.

"Stop! Jace, Stop!" Jace ceased the tickle attack and hovered over Clary. Their wet bodies had soaked the bed and Clary began to shiver. Jace smiled lovingly at his lover and kissed her lightly on the lips. Clary kissed Jace back and locked eyes with him.

"Baby." She said innocently.

"Yes Angel?" Jace asked.

"I'm naked."

"Mm I know." Jace ogled her. Clary nudged him.

"If you don't close the door right now, you'll never see me this way again." Clary said sweetly with a smile. Jace laughed and got up to do as she said. It was Clary's turn to ogle him then. He turned around just in time to catch her. He smirked at her.

"Now, where were we?" He practically purred and then he pounced on her as Clary dissolved into a fit of giggles again.

* * *

 **Okay Guys! We have finally reached the end of this wonderful story! I have had so much positive feedback on this, and i appreciate it so much! I have had the best following as this story took on a life of its own. I couldn't be happier with the way it turned out. I hope you all enjoyed the ending, it was really fluffy and I think it was much needed fluff after all the angst throughout the story! I do plan to do an epilogue, but with school I don't know how long it will take. I wanted to get you guys the ending, but I want everyone to stay tuned because a very Malec epilogue will be coming as soon as I get more time! Again thank you to everyone who followed this story from beginning to end and especially to the ones who reviewed and said such wonderful things. -April**


	25. Epilogue

"Magnus! C'mon! They're all waiting on us!" Alec tapped his foot impatiently. Simon was set to leave for Idris that evening and everyone was gathering at the institute for a going away party for the human boy. Magnus was still in his bathroom, stressing over his outfit. Alec wasn't sure why he was acting so nervous. It was just dinner at the institute with their family. Alec himself had just put on his nicest t-shirt and a pair of jeans, Magnus on the other hand had changed at least three times.

"I'm sorry Alexander, you know I can't stand to be less than fabulous." Magnus sighed when he finally breezed into the room. Alec eyed his boyfriend appreciatively. Magnus had decided on an orangey-red button down and dark dress slacks. He had on some long necklaces and his nails were painted his usual black. Magnus's hair was spiked up in its usual manner too but in all it was a very understated look for Alec's boyfriend. Alec narrowed his eyes a little at Magnus.

"You always look fabulous Magnus," Alec smiled as he pecked Magnus on his strangely nervous lips "but I have to say after all that time I expected something fabulous-er." Magnus rolled his eyes at the insanely bad grammar that Alec used just to irritate his lover. Alec laughed at the warlock's reaction.

"Leave me alone Alexander, you don't know the first thing about "Fabulous-er" things." Alec laughed and kissed Magnus on the cheek to wipe the pout of his face.

"C'mon dear. They are waiting on us." Alec said. Magnus nodded once and then conjured a portal that took them straight to the institute. Once inside they were bombarded with people.

"Magnus! Alec! Guys, Magnus and Alec are here!" Izzy was the first to spot them and pull them both in for a hug. Alec and Magnus hugged her back generously before she bounded off again towards the kitchen. Alec and Magnus met each other's eyes and cringed simultaneously.

"Stay out of the kitchen Izzy." Jace scolded over his shoulder as he ambled into the room. Then he turned to see his brother. Jace was dressed casually in a white t-shirt and jeans. His feet were tucked into his combat boots that he used for fighting. His smile was bright as he hugged the two men.

"I'm glad you two are here. Izzy keeps trying to help cook and Maryse is having a hard time fighting her off."

"I'm on it." Magnus grumbled and left Alec's side with a quick kiss to his cheek.

"Good luck man." Jace teased the retreating Magnus. Alec laughed and shook his head.

"Where's Simon and Clary?" Alec asked when neither one came to greet him. Jace sighed and ran a hand through his blonde hair.

"They're up in the greenhouse, talking. Clary isn't handling his leaving very well."

"I thought she was fine with it?" Alec asked confused. They had known Simon was going to the academy for some time now, he had thought Clary had made peace with it.

"She was, but after the whole, she almost died, thing they have grown really close again over these couple months, and Clary is worried about not having any family left here. With her mom and Luke living in Idris and now Simon going, I think she feels a little abandoned." A crease formed between Jace's eyebrows as he looked at his brother.

"She still has us." Alec said plainly, as if it were the most simple answer in the world.

The late afternoon sun was hanging low in the New York sky, casting an orange light around the greenhouse. Clary and Simon were standing near the windows looking out over the city. Clary had brought Simon up here to tell him about Idris. He remembered very little from his time there. They had been up there for a couple hours talking about his fears, and hers, and their hopes, and how excited Simon was. It was when the sun began to set that Clary started to grow uneasy and sad. Clary was trying hard to stay strong, but was finding it hard to hold the tears back. Simon and her were as close as ever, for the first time since he lost his memories. They had spent all summer talking about this moment, but the closer it got, the harder it had gotten for Clary to deal with.

"Say the word Fray, and I'll stay. I'll be your human best friend, and I'll stay and nothing will have to change." Simon turned to her and was pleading with her now. He had been trying so hard to get her to feel better. Izzy wasn't even as sullen as Clary was.

"Simon, you know this is what you want. I could never stop you from doing something you want to do. I want you to become who you are supposed to be."

"But Clary, I'm already who I'm supposed to be. I'm your best friend, and Izzy's boyfriend"

"Yeah and you will always feel like you held yourself behind to be the tag along who could never actually be one of us. You are meant to be one of us, but you need to find a way to do that for yourself. Plus I know you really want to kick Jace's ass one day, you're going to need training for that." Simon laughed and turned his bashful expression toward the window. Clary was right, he couldn't deny it. Clary laughed sadly and pulled Simon in for a hug.

"You have to go Simon, I want you to go. Just don't go and find yourself a super cool new life that is fulfilling and awesome and too hard to leave. Okay?" It was Simon's turn to laugh then as he pulled away from Clary.

"You just don't get it do you Fray? You _are_ the super cool and fulfilling thing in my life. You and all of the people waiting for us downstairs right now. Nothing will be harder to leave than this." Clary felt tears welling up in her eyes again and she was about to let them spill out when Magnus came up the stairs.

"Hello Biscuit, Simon." Magnus greeted. Clary wiped at the tears quickly and then turned a warm smile on Magnus.

"Mags." Clary ran into his open arms and he held her close. Sometimes Clary thought Magnus was a little clairvoyant because he held her like he knew she was falling to pieces. The thought was sort of disturbing but for now Clary just enjoyed the way it felt and tried not to read too far into things.

"Dinner is just about done. I believe Jace and Alexander are waiting on you two." Magnus said over Clary's head. Simon nodded and moved passed the warlock and his best friend to descend the stairs.

"You too Biscuit." Magnus urged and pushed her towards the stairs. Clary gave him one last grateful smile before following Simon towards the crowed waiting for them.

Jace and Alec were immersed in a conversation about a demon hoard that they were expected to check out in the morning when Clary and Simon walked into the living room, interrupting the conversation.

"Hey stranger!" Clary exclaimed as she wrapped Alec into a hug which he returned awkwardly. Physical contact, especially with Clary, was still a new concept for him. "I feel like we never see you or Magnus anymore."

"Clary, I work here." Alec said peering into her eyes with an annoyed look.

"I know, I just panicked and that's all I could think to say." Clary stammered. Simon laughed from across the room.

"Hey Mundy, speaking of working here. You ready for this?" Alec asked Simon jokingly. Simon smiled and nodded.

"I think I am. It feels right, and the sooner I go, the sooner I can come back."

"You know it's not guaranteed you'll get assigned here, Simon." Jace chastised. Clary and Simon gave each other a look and a smile that had both men in the room staring at them accusingly, but neither Simon nor Clary said anything more. Jace wouldn't push Clary and Alec was much too distracted with the weird way Magnus had been acting. Alec couldn't stop thinking about how nervous and jittery Magnus had been getting ready to come to the dinner. Magnus was usually so cool about everything, he never had to try to feel good or look good, he just did. Magnus' confidence was one of the most attractive things about him, yet tonight he had been completely insecure. Alec was afraid there was something very wrong.

"Has Magnus seemed off to any of you lately?" Alec asked the group. Simon and Clary furrowed their brows.

"No, why?" Clary asked for them both. Jace pursed his lips and looked down at the floor. Alec took note of his not so subtle reaction but addressed Clary anyway.

"I don't know. He was super nervous about tonight and it just struck me as strange."

"Magnus? Nervous? Magnus is never nervous, about anything." Simon stated. Alec nodded his agreeance but still Jace stayed quiet. Alec cocked his head to the side.

"Jace."

"Food's done. Hi son." Maryse popped her head into the living room and smiled at the kids. Jace hopped up and retreated from the room quickly. Clary and Simon watched him skeptically and then seemed to laugh it off.

"Jace must be really hungry." Simon joked. Clary laughed and agreed with her friend. Alec sighed in defeat and trailed behind Clary and Simon. Maryse hugged him quickly when he passed her near the doorway and then they walked together to the dining area outside the kitchen.

Dinner was full of laughs as the gang reminisced on some of their best memories with Simon. Some Simon remembered and some were new and exciting for Simon to hear. Clary talked a lot about Simon as a kid, and how he never really seemed to fit in with anyone but her. Simon was quick to change the subject when Clary's laughs began to dissolve into tears. Jace and him laughed about the time Simon had fed off of him and how awkward that had been for both of them. That one Simon remembered with unfortunate detail. Izzy spent a lot of time holding onto Simon's hand and trying to stay strong and happy, but Simon knew she was having a hard time with it. Simon, in an attempt to cheer Izzy up, mentioned how thankful he was that Izzy had not managed to weasel her way into the kitchen while the dinner was being prepared. She had laughed good naturedly and smacked his arm. Maryse expressed her gratitude and love for Simon and told him that he was welcome back at the institute any time once his training was over. Simon was grateful and touched by the woman's sentiment. When everyone had finished eating, all six of them insisted on cleaning up since Maryse had prepared the food. So they worked systematically, as smooth as they do in the battle field. Magnus cleared the dishes from the table, who passed them off to Alec, who brought them into the kitchen where Izzy took them and scraped them clean. From there Izzy stacked them on the counter where Jace handed them one by one to Clary who washed them, and then she handed them to Simon who dried them. Then Alec and Magnus put them away again. This activity was full of laughs as well as they all picked on each other like siblings do. They're family was really well integrated after everything they had been through. When the dishes were done and they had all gathered into the living room where Simon's bags were now waiting, Clary excused herself. She bounded up the stairs towards the bedrooms quickly and silently. Jace watched her with concern and then looked to Simon.

"You should go talk to her." Simon told the blonde shadowhunter. Jace raised his eyebrows in panic for a second, then he sighed and turned towards the stairs.

"Try to make it quick Jace. I have to leave soon and we aren't quite done yet." Simon reminded Jace. Jace nodded his understanding, but caught the suspicious look Alec gave them. Jace knew Alec was on to them. He hadn't been prepared to lie to Alec earlier, the only thing that saved him was Maryse announcing dinner. Alec wasn't stupid he knew something was up, but Jace knew he would be completely surprised when he found out, so he didn't acknowledge the look and took the stairs two at a time to find his girlfriend.

"Clary?" Jace peaked his head into her bedroom, where she had been keeping herself for the last couple nights, much to Jace's dismay. She was standing by her window, looking out into the fading light of the evening. She didn't turn to acknowledge him.

"Hey, Clary. Simon has to go soon and-"

"I know." She said sternly to him. Jace stopped abruptly and just looked at Clary's back. He sighed and waited.

"Everyone keeps saying that. Simon's leaving soon, Simon's leaving soon. I get it okay?" She finally turned to look at Jace. Her green eyes were swimming with unshed tears and her arms were crossed over her chest. Jace looked at his love sympathetically and wrapped her in a hug.

"What if he finds a life out there that he likes better than this one?" Clary asked into Jace's shoulder. Jace held the back of her head and chuckled, trying to lighten her up.

"Clary, what could be better than us? He's Simon, we are the best he can do, even as a shadowhunter." Clary laughed sadly and pushed away from Jace.

"It's not a joke, Jace" she scolded, but a smile still played on her lips. Jace grew serious and took Clary's hands.

"Look at me Clary." He urged. Clary met his golden eyes expectantly. "Simon loves you. You are his family, and you have both proven time and time again that no matter what happens, that isn't going to change. He will come back for you." The tears that were dancing in her eyes finally spilled over. Jace brushed them away with light kisses before finally kissing her mouth. Her eyes were clear when he pulled away.

"In the meantime, you will just have to settle for us, cause we aren't going anywhere." Jace whispered in the air between them. At this Clary smiled and nodded. Jace hugged her close on last time.

"Now cheer up. There is still one more thing that needs to happen before Simon goes, and you don't want to miss it." Jace grabbed her hand and began leading her out of the room.

"What? Jace what are you talking about?" Clary asked in confusion as the descended the stairs. The plan was simple. Only Magnus, Simon, and Jace knew, and it was to be kept that way so no one accidentally slipped up and told Alec. So Clary was completely in the dark about what was about to happen.

"You'll find out in a minute." Jace told her.

Magnus' palms were sweating as he waited for Jace and Clary to return. He was perched on one of the couch cushions and his leg was bouncing impatiently. He was avoiding making eye contact with Alec who was sitting across from him and scrutinizing his every move. Magnus was terrified that Alec knew, or that he would figure out just what was going on. Simon kept throwing the warlock warning glances as if Magnus was being super obvious, which he was. Maryse and Izzy were busy talking amongst themselves about the academy in Idris and how they would love to see it some day. When Magnus heard the sound of Clary and Jace approaching his heart began to hammer in his chest. Never in all the years he had been alive had he been this nervous. He knew it was a ridiculous way to feel. Alexander loved him and that was what mattered, but for the first time Magnus was in a situation with Alec that he had never been in. The whole thing was beginning to be too much for the warlock. Jace pulled a confused and expectant looking Clary into the room then and Jace looked at the clock on the wall.

"We don't have long, Magnus." Jace told him. Alec looked between the two of them and then around the room as his confusion grew to frustration. Alec stood up and looked at Magnus.

"What the hell is going on here?" Alexander exploded. Jace looked at Alec with surprise in his eyes and the others in the room grew silent. Simon looked at Magnus with pursed lips. The room was filled with a pregnant silence. Magnus felt sweat dew up on his forehead. _You can do this Magnus. Don't be such a coward you old fool, just do it. Alexander is growing angry, he is looking at you. Do something Magnus, anything_. The inner monologue continued endlessly.

"Magnus? What is wrong with you?" Alec asked, a little more gently. At the sound of his name Magnus looked up into the young shadowhunters eyes. They were fraught with worry and suspicion. Magnus stared into his blue eyes for a minute more, and then he saw it. He saw Alexander in gold, even though they could never have a traditional shadow hunter wedding. He saw them making love on the white beaches in French saw Alec with a little boy sleeping in his arms. Magnus saw their entire life played out in the blue orbs that were waiting for him to respond. His heart slowed to its normal rate and the butterflies vacated his stomach, he was no longer nervous because what he had to do next just made sense. There was no other life Magnus Bane could imagine for himself and he just knew Alexander felt the same way.

Magnus stood then too, and reached into the pocket of his pants and clasped a tiny velvet box between his fingers. He held it for a second and then met Alec's blank face.

"Alexander, I'm afraid there is something wrong with me."

"I know. I can tell." Alec interrupted. Magnus continued over him. He took the couple steps it took to reach Alec and took his hand in his own.

"You see ever since I laid my eyes on you I have been a hopeless man. I knew from that moment that no other moment would ever hold meaning for me again if you were not sharing it with me. I was amazed to have caught your attention, and even more amazed that you gave me a shot. But nothing compares to the way it feels to be loved by you Alexander. I see it in your eyes, I feel it in your touch. I have never felt more beautiful or wanted than I do when I am with you. I know in my heart that nothing and no one will ever give me the peace and the love that you give me, and so I choose to not spend a single moment more without you." Magnus pulled the box from his pocket then. He heard somewhere in the distance a gasp, or perhaps several but Magnus was now too wrapped up in the moment to determine where it came from. He weighed the box in his hand for a second, picturing the gold band inside. Then he looked back to Alec, who was now looking in disbelief at the box in Magnus' hand.

"I will not get on one knee because that is a traditional thing and we are not a traditional thing kind of couple, nor do I ever want to be one. But by the Angel, Alexander, I want to marry you." Magnus opened the box to reveal the gold band nestled in it. Alec's mouth was practically on the floor as he stared the ring down as if it had caught him in its grasp and wouldn't release him. Magnus' next words were whispered as he began to lose momentum at the sight of Alec's disbelief.

"I cannot bare the rune that will bind myself with you." Magnus whispered, his voice thick with emotion. Alec's eyes snapped up then, as if the ring finally released him. He was searching Magnus' face, but Magnus pushed on.

"I cannot give you that. I wish I could, but I can't. However, on the inside of this ring you will find the marriage rune engraved around the whole band. I may not be a shadowhunter with the ability to bind myself to you through magical bonds, but I am a warlock in love and I can promise you that is just as powerful. I will spend the rest of my existence proving that to you if you allow me, and do me the great honor of marrying me." Magnus could no longer see the people in the room with them, nor hear them. His heart was commanding all of his senses as he stared into the endless blue eyes of his lover. Alec was staring at Magnus, his mouth still slightly agape. The emotions were impossible to read in his eyes and suddenly all that sureness Magnus had felt went out the window. For a painfully long amount of time there was only Alec and Magnus and a whole bunch of silence. When Magnus couldn't take it anymore he furrowed his eyebrows.

"Alexander?" he asked quietly. Alec seemed to wake up then. He shook his head a few times and then something amazing happened. Alexander's face split into a wide smile. He cupped Magnus' face in each of his hands and leaned his forehead against Magnus'. Magnus looked up at him questioningly.

"You silly man. This is why you have been so nervous?" Alec whispered to Magnus.

"In my defense, you still haven't answered. Kind of losing my mind over here." Magnus said nervously. Alec laughed, a loud, sincere laugh and then he kissed Magnus passionately.

"Yes Magnus. Of course, yes." He muttered between kisses. Tears of joy and relief were rolling down Magnus' cheeks as he kissed his boyfriend, uh fiance ;), back. Then the rest of the room came back into focus for Magnus. There was suddenly loud cheers filling the room and Izzy and Clary were scrambling to see the ring. The couple broke apart with laughter and allowed the rest of the room to join in on their moment. Alec let Izzy and Clary see the ring, and they ooed and awed over it. Jace hugged Alec, who immediately began scolding Jace for lying to him and letting him worry about Magnus all day. Simon and Maryse took turns hugging and congratulating Magnus. Simon cheerfully, and Maryse with some tears. Magnus regarded her questioningly. She wiped her tears away and shook her head.

"I am so glad you and my son found each other. My heart hurts to think of the life Alec would have lead had you never inspired him to follow his heart. I am proud to welcome you into our family, and so grateful for what you have done." Maryse explained to Magnus. Magnus hugged her again, unable to respond through his emotion.

The room was alive with emotion and commotion as everyone congratulated Alec and Magnus, and then again as Simon informed everyone that he had to leave then. They all hugged Simon, and more than a few of them cried for a second time that night. Magnus conjured him a portal into Idris then.

"There you go Simon. Your new life awaits you." Magnus told him. Simon picked up his bags and looked back at their small family one last time. Then he looked at Magnus and smiled.

"No Magnus." He said. "This is just my new journey. Like you and Alec now have a new journey to take. We are all going to face new challenges, we are going to change, and we will grow, but my life, our lives, they will always be right here, together." Simon looked at Clary then, who was watching with tears in her eyes, and then he looked to Izzy who was smiling at him sadly. "And I don't know about you guys, but I really like that life, so if it's okay with you all, I'd like to keep it."

"It's alright with us buddy." Jace said as he pulled Clary close against his side. The group smiled as if to agree with Jace and then Simon looked at Magnus. Magnus smiled at him too

"Works for me kid." he whispered to Simon. Then Magnus made a gesture with his head for Simon to step through. With one last look around Simon walked into the portal and it closed behind him. In the following silence the gang looked around at each other. Izzy, standing alone but firm and with a smile. Clary, teary eyed but strong. Jace smiling and hopeful as he linked his hand with Clary's. Maryse looking on with pride at her children, and Alec. Alec who had slipped the gold band onto his left ring finger where it fit perfectly. He reached the same hand out to Magnus, which the warlock took confidently.

None of them said anything but they all shared an understanding that night. Something none of them thought they would ever come to know as truth: _Simon was right._ They were going to face many new paths, and they were going to change and grow along the way, but they all belonged to each other in that moment, and for the rest of their lives, however long that may be. Whether it be for a few more decades, or a few more centuries, whether they were together or not, this feeling, this bond would remain forever, and that was pretty great.

* * *

 **So there it is. The real end of the story, the last chapter I will ever write for my beautiful baby :( Its bittersweet lol I am sad to see it end. As I have said before I am so grateful to everyone who has followed this story and made it as successful as it is. I love these characters and I'm probably not done with them just yet, but this story has finally run its course and I think it ended pretty good. Thank you to everyone again!**


End file.
